Landslide Warning 'Severe'... Second Highest Since Korea Forest Service Inauguration

On the 2nd, Park Jong-ho, the Commissioner of the Korea Forest Service, presided over a situation assessment meeting at the Central Forest Disaster Situation Room regarding the northward approach of Typhoon Maysak. On the same day, the Korea Forest Service raised the landslide crisis alert level to the highest level, "Severe." Photo by Korea Forest Service

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Korea Forest Service has raised the landslide risk alert to the highest level, "Severe." "Severe" means that there is a possibility of landslides occurring in all mountainous areas nationwide. Since its establishment in 1967, the Korea Forest Service first issued a "Severe" alert on the 8th of last month (excluding Jeju, covering 16 cities and provinces), and this is the second time.

According to the Korea Forest Service on the 3rd, Typhoon "Maysak" is affecting South Korea with heavy rain and strong winds until the morning of that day.

Accordingly, the Korea Forest Service held a situation assessment meeting on the previous day at the Central Forest Disaster Situation Room in the Government Complex Daejeon and upgraded the landslide risk alert for all 17 cities and provinces nationwide from "Caution" to "Severe" as of 5 p.m. on the 2nd.

More than 200mm of heavy rainfall is expected nationwide, and the possibility of secondary damage at landslide sites from the recent monsoon period was the background for issuing the "Severe" alert.

Currently, the Korea Forest Service has also urged local governments to conduct proactive resident evacuations and thorough situation management following the issuance of landslide forecasts (advisories and warnings).

Park Jong-ho, Administrator of the Korea Forest Service, said, "This typhoon, accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain, is highly likely to cause secondary damage to the ground weakened by the monsoon," adding, "Excessive situation management and proactive resident evacuation are more important than anything else to prevent casualties."

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