Nong-eochon Gong Jeonnam, Preemptive Reservoir Discharge... Full Effort to Prevent Heavy Rain Damage

The Jeonnam Regional Headquarters of the Korea Rural Community Corporation is operating a comprehensive situation room at a 24-hour alert level over the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd, as heavy monsoon rains are forecast again, and is making every effort to prevent flood damage.

Since the monsoon lull on the 19th, a special inspection has been conducted on 1,056 reservoirs managed by the headquarters to check for vulnerable sections such as embankment slope erosion caused by the recent heavy rains.

Through a preliminary inspection by the Facility Inspection 119 Center, emergency reinforcement measures are being implemented for reservoirs rated as safety-vulnerable D grade, including installing waterproof sheets and portable siphons (temporary discharge devices), to prepare thoroughly for the weekend heavy rains.

Currently, for D-grade reservoirs, discharge operations are being carried out to lower the water storage rate to below 50%, preventing the pressure from inflowing water due to extreme rainfall from affecting the embankments, while emergency measures such as embankment reinforcement are also underway.

Additionally, the headquarters had been maintaining the water storage rate of major reservoirs in the jurisdiction below 80% in preparation for the prolonged monsoon, but due to the recent rain, the rate has risen again (81% as of the 21st). Therefore, facilities such as emergency sluice gates and drainage channels are being utilized to the fullest extent to lower the water storage rate.

Director Cho Young-ho of the headquarters stated, “Given the characteristics of this year’s monsoon, with very heavy rain expected to fall regionally all at once, we will maintain a swift 24-hour situation management response system and monitor real-time weather conditions to ensure thorough preparedness, protecting the property and lives of the public in case of any emergency.”

Meanwhile, Director Cho sent an urgent message to the 18 branch managers in the jurisdiction in response to the weekend heavy rain forecast, urging them to operate the disaster response situation rooms thoroughly and strengthen surveillance activities of major reservoirs and drainage stations to be fully prepared for the concentrated heavy rains.

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yuk-bong bless4ya@asiae.co.kr

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