Central provinces hit with a record spring snowstorm last week have been designated a special disaster zone.

The anti-disaster headquarters announced the decision after a meeting of relevant government ministries on Wednesday morning.

The special disaster zone covers all areas in Seoul and Incheon, along with Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Gyeongsang Provinces, which suffered the worst damage.

Property damage from the heavy snowfall was tallied at five hundred-70 billion won or some four hundred-80 million U.S. dollars.

The residents of the designated disaster area will be eligible for state subsidies and compensation.

The Chungcheong provinces were hit hardest by the storm, with damage estimated at four hundred-10 billion won.

Central Daejeon city recorded almost 50 centimeters of snow last Friday ... the heaviest March snowfall since 1904, when Korea first began compiling weather data.