"Manhole Covers Weighing 40~160kg, Landmines During Heavy Rain"

Weight 40~160kg... Risk of Accident if Jumping
"Several People Move Together Around Manholes Near Buildings"

Due to the impact of Typhoon Khanun, heavy rain has caused damage in various parts of the country. When heavy rain falls, the water pressure increases, which can cause manhole covers to pop up, so caution is needed regarding related damages.

Khanun is moving northward around 6 p.m. on the 10th, passing about 40 km north-northeast of Cheongju. Around 9 p.m. that day, it will pass about 30 km southeast of Seoul. Since heavy rain and wind accompany the typhoon before and after its approach, continuous caution is required until the early morning of the 11th when Khanun moves out toward North Korea.

In particular, caution is needed regarding accidents caused by manhole covers during heavy rain. Iron manhole covers weighing between 40 kg and 160 kg can be lifted by strong water pressure, potentially causing casualties and vehicle damage.

At around 8:05 a.m. that day in Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province, a manhole cover popped up and pierced the floor of a city bus, causing an accident.

Fortunately, the city bus was temporarily stopped near an apartment in Daewon-dong, Uichang-gu, Changwon City, and the manhole cover pierced the central part of the bus body rather than the passenger seats, so no casualties occurred.

Earlier that day, at around 7:10 a.m., the tire of city bus number 301 running near Gyeonghwa Station in Jinhae-gu, Changwon City, was punctured by a manhole cover. The manhole cover, which was slightly lifted and displaced due to heavy rain, damaged the tire upon impact.

On the night of the 7th, rainwater overflowed from a manhole cover in Incheon, where a heavy rain warning was issued for a time. [Image source=Yonhap News]

If a manhole cover is missing, there is a risk of people falling or being sucked into the manhole. When rainwater floods the road, it is difficult to recognize that the manhole is open.

On August 8 last year, when record-breaking heavy rain fell, two citizens were sucked into a manhole and died in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The manhole cover was open due to backflow in the drainage pipes caused by heavy rain of 100 mm per hour, but this went unnoticed.

Professor Lee Yong-jae of the Fire Safety Management Department at Kyungmin University warned, "During heavy rain, manhole covers are so dangerous that they can be described as landmines, black holes, or traps."

In an interview with Yonhap News TV that day, Professor Lee said, "When heavy rain falls, manhole covers with diameters of 60 cm to 1 m can explode and pop up, causing damage to vehicles or people. Furthermore, if the manhole cover is missing and the road is flooded, citizens walking may fall in without knowing what is there, risking death or serious injury," urging caution.

Professor Lee explained, "It is best not to walk in flooded areas, but if unavoidable, move along the sides of buildings. When flooded, it is difficult to distinguish roads from sidewalks, but there are no manhole covers near buildings, making it relatively safer." He also emphasized, "If possible, move with two or more people rather than alone, so it is easier to call for help in case of an accident."

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