Naju City Activates 24-Hour Emergency Response System in Preparation for Typhoon 'Bavi'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Kang In-gyu) announced on the 25th that it will activate a 24-hour emergency response system at the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to ensure citizen safety and prepare for facility damage due to the northward approach of Typhoon No. 8, ‘Bavi’.

On the same day, Naju City held an emergency situation assessment meeting chaired by Mayor Kang In-gyu to review the expected typhoon path, impact range, and departmental response status.

The meeting was attended by more than 30 people, including related agencies such as the police station and fire station, as well as 20 collaborative departments of the Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters, including the Safety and Disaster Division of City Hall and heads of bureaus and offices.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, as of 9 a.m. on the day, Typhoon Bavi had a central pressure of 960 hPa and a maximum wind speed of 140 km/h (39 m/s), moving northwest at 16 km/h in the sea about 460 km southwest of Seogwipo, Jeju.

This typhoon is expected to bring strong rain and wind comparable to Typhoon Bolaven No. 15 in 2012, which caused severe disaster situations, and Typhoon Lingling No. 13 last year.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted that from early dawn on the 26th to the 27th, the maximum instantaneous wind speed in Jeju Island and the west coast area of Jeollanam-do under the typhoon’s influence will reach 144 to 216 km/h (40 to 60 m/s).

When wind speeds reach 40 to 60 m/s, it becomes impossible for people to walk, and facilities may be blown away or damaged by the wind, requiring special caution such as refraining from going outside.

Strong winds of around 35 m/s and heavy rainfall of 100 to 300 mm are also expected in the inland areas of Gwangju and Jeollanam-do.

The city plans to thoroughly manage the prevention of secondary damage to public and private facilities in flood-affected areas and the management of the displaced persons’ facilities at Dasichu Elementary School, as recovery work for houses and facilities damaged by the heavy rain on the 8th and 9th is nearing completion. From tonight, related agencies and the Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters situation room will conduct 24-hour emergency duty.

One-third of the personnel (half during typhoon warnings) from the main office’s departments and 20 towns, townships, and neighborhoods will be on emergency shift duty.

The Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters will operate a collaborative system across 13 fields centered on the city’s Safety and Disaster Division, which manages the overall situation, including ▲emergency livelihood support such as aid for displaced persons ▲disaster site environmental cleanup ▲emergency communication support ▲emergency restoration of public and private facilities ▲restoration of energy functions such as gas, electricity, and fuel ▲disaster response and recovery publicity ▲disaster material management ▲traffic measures, and more.

Mayor Kang In-gyu said, “I hope thorough vigilance will be maintained to prevent additional damage to displaced persons and public and private facilities affected by the recent heavy rain, as well as to monitor vulnerable areas such as hillsides with weakened ground for landslides or retaining wall collapses. Please do your best to wisely respond to this typhoon situation by mobilizing all available media such as disaster text messages, SNS, and village broadcasts to share real-time information and disseminate action guidelines to minimize damage.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.