Hong Nampyo, Changwon Special City Mayor, "Nothing is More Important Than Citizen Safety"

Despite the lull in heavy rain, "We will remain vigilant and continue preparations"

Focusing on reorganization ahead of rain forecast for the coming weekend

"Nothing is more important than citizen safety. We will do our best to protect the lives and property of citizens with thorough preparation and vigilance."

On the 19th, Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, emphasized this as the heavy rain passed and entered a lull, beginning preparations for the forecasted rain this weekend, including reinforcing damaged facilities and monitoring vulnerable areas.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, is conducting inspections despite the lull in the heavy rain.

Changwon Special City recorded 219.7mm of rainfall from the 16th to the morning of the 19th due to the ongoing monsoon. During this period, repeated heavy rains caused flooding on roads around Yongchu Valley parking lot in Uichang-gu, landslides near San 1, Oseo-ri, Jinjeon-myeon, Masanhappo-gu, and collapse of retaining walls in Changkok General Industrial Complex, Sinchon-dong, Seongsan-gu, among 25 locations with varying degrees of damage. On the afternoon of the 18th, about 20 meters of the Jinjeoncheon embankment in Jinjeon-myeon, Masanhappo-gu, was also washed away.

The city immediately began emergency repairs on damaged facilities, and as of 3 p.m. on the 19th, most emergency situations have been resolved. Furthermore, no casualties have occurred due to this.

As of the 19th, some areas remain closed to traffic. Both directions of Gaju Tunnel in Ungdong 2-dong, Jinhae-gu, have been completely closed to traffic since 6 p.m. on the 18th. Due to continued heavy rain, there are concerns about further collapses at the tunnel entrance slope and large rockfalls. Citizens who need to use this route must use detours until the closure is lifted.

Changwon City warned that due to the sustained heavy rain, the soil moisture content is high, increasing the risk of landslides, and with more rain forecasted for the coming weekend, citizens should exercise greater caution than usual in their daily lives.

Regarding this heavy rain, Changwon City has been conducting 24-hour monitoring and response since the 16th.

Emergency inspections were conducted at 41 locations vulnerable to landslides and where casualties are a concern, and 155 residents near these areas were evacuated to safe places such as village halls. Additionally, preemptive controls were implemented at 29 locations including riverside walking trails and areas prone to river flooding, and on-site inspections were carried out at large construction sites and major management facilities.

The city also completed preparations to operate rainwater retention facilities and drainage pump facilities. Safety measures were taken to remove debris from drainage channels such as flood-prone roads, underground passages, and rainwater gutters, and to prevent flooding in low-lying urban areas such as semi-basements and underground parking lots.

Furthermore, as the heavy rain is forecasted to enter a lull for several days, the city is conducting on-site inspections focusing on damaged and vulnerable areas and carrying out emergency repairs to prevent secondary accidents.

In addition, the city plans to focus administrative efforts on identifying and clearing hazards and debris caused by the heavy rain around roads and residential areas, repairing potholes, and removing obstacles on roads to prepare for the forecasted rain this weekend.

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