Frequent Rain Forecast... Warning for Bomb-like Potholes on the Roads

Over 36,000 Cases in Seoul Alone Last Year
Mostly Occur During the Monsoon Season
Concerns Over Major Accidents

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Frequent rain has triggered a 'pothole' warning. Potholes generally refer to depressions that occur when rainwater seeps into asphalt and pressure increases due to vehicle traffic. They frequently appear during the rainy season and require special caution as they can cause vehicle damage and traffic accidents.

According to Seoul City on the 25th, 35,694 potholes occurred in Seoul last year. Converted into area, this amounts to 28,259㎡, equivalent to the size of four soccer fields each measuring 7,000㎡. This year, nearly 15,000 potholes have appeared over five months, prompting repair work. Potholes are greatly influenced by rainfall. In 2018, when 1,385mm of rain fell in Seoul, 34,387 potholes occurred. In contrast, in 2019, with 892mm of rainfall, the number decreased to 25,301. Last year, with 1,651mm of rain, the highest number of potholes since 2018 was recorded.

Due to these characteristics, potholes mainly occur during the rainy season or summer. From 2018 to last year, the average monthly number of potholes was 6,928 in August and 3,270 in July. Especially in August last year, when 676mm of rain was recorded, 13,839 potholes were found. However, potholes can also occur outside the summer season if rainfall is heavy. Additionally, during winter, when the ground repeatedly freezes and thaws due to large temperature differences, the ground weakens, leading to frequent pothole formation. In March 2018, despite rainfall being only about 50mm, 5,592 potholes occurred.

Potholes are called 'bombs on the road' as they can cause accidents. It is difficult for drivers to detect potholes that suddenly appear during rainy or nighttime driving in advance. Lee (29), an office worker commuting from Seoul to Goyang City in Gyeonggi Province, said, "The day after it rained, I almost collided with a vehicle in the adjacent lane while trying to avoid a pothole on my way to work," adding, "Since then, I feel fear of accidents whenever I pass over depressions on the road." On the 16th of last month, a pothole on the Olympic-daero road in Amsa-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, in the direction of Gimpo damaged the tires of six vehicles. The pothole was reported to be 2m long, 50cm wide, and 10?20cm deep.

Professor Lee Soo-beom of the Department of Transportation Engineering at the University of Seoul said, "If a pothole is larger than a vehicle's wheel, sudden steering changes can cause traffic accidents," but added, "Due to cost and cost-effectiveness issues, it is difficult to design city roads to prevent potholes from occurring." He continued, "Local governments need to carry out immediate repair work on potholes, and drivers should be cautious of potholes while driving and promptly report them when discovered."

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