Incheon City Establishes Customized Flood Prevention Measures for 37 Underpasses

Incheon City has initiated measures to prevent flooding in underground passages caused by heavy rain during the monsoon season. The city announced on the 6th that it has started a risk assessment project for flooding in 37 underground passages within the region, which is planned to be completed by July.

The project will investigate the amount of rainfall flowing into each underground passage, as well as drainage facilities and capacity, to explore ways to reduce stormwater inflow in passages with insufficient drainage capacity and improve surrounding sewage facilities.

Additionally, after conducting a full survey of the flood risk for the 37 underground passages, flood risk grades will be assigned to each passage, and control standards and response manuals will be established according to each grade.

Underpass Entry Blockade Facility
Photo by Incheon City

Furthermore, electrical equipment such as distribution panels at risk of flooding will be relocated above ground to prevent safety accidents, and flood level gauges located in pump rooms will be installed so that flood levels can be quickly monitored via CCTV. To minimize inconvenience to drivers when access to underground passages is restricted, plans to secure alternative traffic routes will also be developed.

Currently, Incheon City controls underground passages when flooding reaches 0.3 meters from the floor, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s "Flood Risk Underground Passage Control Standards." However, following the tragic incident at the Osong Underground Passage in Cheongju last July, where 14 people lost their lives, the importance of preventing flooding in underground spaces has increased, leading to plans to present more precise control standards for each facility.

An official from Incheon City stated, "We will establish systematic standards and manuals to respond to flooding situations for each underground passage in the city to contribute to the safety of our citizens."

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