Seoul City Implements Smart Technology for 'Early Warning Facilities' in 27 Rivers

Expansion of River Isolation Accident Prevention Facilities... River Forecast and Warning Systems, Remote Access Blocking Devices, Logo Lights, etc.
Public-Private Joint River Patrol Team Expanded to 508 Members, Increased Effectiveness through Bicycle Patrol Activities

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 9th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will install and operate ‘state-of-the-art early warning and alert facilities’ and ‘entry and exit blocking facilities’ incorporating smart technology to prevent isolation accidents along rivers caused by heavy summer rains. Facilities that predict river water levels and control access will be placed along walking trails to enable citizens to use the rivers more safely.

So far, Seoul has expanded 177 early warning and alert facilities, 56 electronic message boards, 704 CCTVs, and 989 entry and exit blocking facilities out of 1,231 river access points across 27 rivers.

First, through the ‘state-of-the-art early warning and alert facilities,’ isolation accidents along rivers will be prevented in advance. This system predicts flooding on river walking trails, monitors water levels in real time, and when the river water level rises above a certain threshold, water level information is sent to smartphones and simultaneously alerts and voice guidance are provided in real time along the river walking trails.

Additionally, the city plans to further install entry and exit blocking facilities at 83 locations along 7 rivers including Mukdongcheon, Uicheon, and Tancheon by July, supplementing the existing 989 facilities, to fundamentally prevent isolation accidents within rivers.

This year, Seoul will invest 180 million KRW in Dorimcheon and other rivers to expand 4 automatic warning facilities and pilot-install 4 log lights in Dorimcheon, where isolation accidents have frequently occurred, continuously expanding facilities to prevent river isolation accidents.

From the flood control period of the 15th to October 15th, Seoul will strengthen on-site prevention activities by operating a public-private joint ‘river patrol team’ for risk blind spots along with safety management using preventive facilities. A total of 508 members will regularly inspect vulnerable sections within 27 rivers.

Meanwhile, when rainfall is forecast, Seoul plans to send prohibition notices for river use to elderly residents living within 300 meters of rivers who have mobility difficulties and find it hard to escape from the river, aiming to prevent casualties.

Choi Jin-seok, Director of the Water Circulation Safety Bureau, said, “Due to the characteristics of urban rivers where water levels rise rapidly when it rains, most isolation accidents involve elderly citizens aged 60 and above who are walking along the rivers.” He added, “We ask all citizens to follow the early warning and entry blocking guidance carefully, and if evacuation is difficult due to a sudden rise in river water levels, please promptly call 119.”

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