Typhoon 'Songda' Brings Heavy Rain to Central and Southern Regions... Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Activated at Level 1

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters orders rapid inspection of dangerous areas such as mountain valleys and riversides... Thorough prevention of casualties through guidance for campers and evacuation of residents

Due to the impact of Typhoon Songda, a large amount of rain is falling nationwide on the 31st, and citizens passing through Seoul Station Plaza are hurrying with umbrellas./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 1st that it has activated Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and raised the crisis alert level from "interest" to "caution" in response to heavy rain advisories issued for Seoul, Gyeonggi, Jeonnam, and Gyeongnam.

According to the weather forecast, the rain that began yesterday is expected to bring 50 to 100mm of precipitation to the Jeonnam region, Gyeongnam, and Jeju by the 2nd, with some areas near Jirisan expected to receive over 200mm. In particular, Jeju, the southern coast, and areas near Jirisan are forecasted to experience heavy rain with hourly rainfall of 30 to 50mm or more, while parts of Gyeonggi and Gyeongbuk are expected to see strong rain with hourly rainfall of 20 to 30mm or more.

In response, Lee Sang-min, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of the Interior and Safety), instructed related agencies to focus on the following measures to prevent casualties caused by heavy rain.

The head of the headquarters ordered pre-inspections and, if necessary, pre-evacuation of residents in landslide-prone areas, steep slopes, and downstream areas affected by forest fires, especially during vulnerable nighttime hours when heavy rain is expected.

He also requested that surveillance activities be strengthened in flood-prone areas such as underground passages and riverside parking lots, and that safety measures be enforced to prevent people from crossing swollen rivers and valleys to avoid accidents. Furthermore, he urged the active use of all available media to promptly deliver weather updates and safety instructions to the public according to weather and field conditions.

The head of the headquarters emphasized, "As heavy rain continues following the typhoon, we will work with related agencies to minimize damage from the heavy rain," and urged the public to "pay close attention to weather information and refrain from visiting dangerous areas such as mountainous and riverside regions."

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