Ministry of the Interior and Safety Warns of Heavy Rain in North Korea and Rising Water Levels in Border Areas... Orders Thorough Safety Management

Real-Time Water Level Monitoring in Border Areas and Prompt Evacuation Orders for Residents Upon Detection of Abnormal Signs

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has instructed related agencies to thoroughly manage safety due to rising water levels in border areas as heavy concentrated rain continues from the 27th to the 28th, caused by the monsoon front developed over North Korean territory.

The water level at Pilsunggyo Bridge on the Imjin River reached 1.0m, the evacuation standard for visitors, at 11:30 AM the previous day, recorded 2.18m at 4:00 AM on the 28th, then slightly decreased before rising again to 3.0m as of 11:00 AM. Depending on rainfall conditions in North Korea, dangerous situations could arise at any time. At Gunam Dam, 1,057 tons per second are flowing in and 1,088 tons per second are being discharged, with the water level recorded at 26.86m at 4:30 AM today, slightly decreasing afterward but rising again to 27.11m as of 11:00 AM.

Accordingly, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety judges that rising water levels in border areas are inevitable due to continued heavy rain in North Korea until the 1st of next month, and has strengthened watershed management and water level monitoring in border areas to prevent damage caused by rising river levels and discharges from North Korea’s Hwanggang Dam. They also instructed thorough prior guidance for campers and residents, emergency measures upon detection of danger signs to prevent damage, and the implementation of access restrictions and entry controls to dangerous areas using warning broadcasts and disaster early warning systems, along with thorough promotion of safety rules to related agencies.

Meanwhile, following the unauthorized discharge from Hwanggang Dam in September 2009, which caused the deaths of six campers and flooding of 21 vehicles in Yeoncheon County, the government held inter-Korean working-level talks and agreed on prior notification before discharges from Hwanggang Dam. However, North Korea has only notified three times so far, prompting thorough prevention and response efforts through river water level monitoring.

Kim Seong-ho, Director of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, stated, “We are monitoring real-time changes in water levels of rivers and dams in border areas, and have instructed to notify local residents as quickly as possible through warning broadcasts and disaster text messages when water levels rise,” and urged, “We will continue patrols around the Imjin River area and provide on-site guidance to visitors, campers, and tourists.”

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