Mayor Baek Younghyeon Reports 9.3 Billion KRW in Rain Damage, Requests Special Disaster Area Declaration

Pocheon City, Record Rainfall in Naechon, Soheul, and Gasan
144mm Per Hour Downpour... Road and Bridge Collapses, Flooding

Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province announced on July 23 that it had requested the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to declare the area a "special disaster area" due to large-scale damage caused by recent heavy rainfall.

Pocheon City recently requested the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to declare a "special disaster area" due to large-scale damage caused by heavy rain. Provided by Pocheon City

This bout of heavy rain brought record-breaking precipitation to areas such as Naechon-myeon, Soheul-eup, and Gasan-myeon, with Naechon-myeon recording a maximum hourly rainfall of 144mm. The city suffered extensive damage, including the collapse of roads and bridges, landslides, and flooding of homes, factories, and farms.

As of July 22, Pocheon City estimates the total damage at approximately 9.3 billion KRW.

On the morning of July 20 at 7:30 a.m., Pocheon City immediately activated the Level 3 emergency response system at the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, placed all departments on emergency duty to support local towns and villages, and began assessing the damage situation.

On July 22, the city established the "Flood Recovery Workforce Support Center" at the Naechon Education and Culture Center and launched a full-scale recovery and support operation for flood victims by setting up an integrated recovery system in cooperation with the public sector, the military, and civilian organizations.

In addition, a total of 283 personnel?including 130 public officials and soldiers, and 153 members of the Pocheon City Integrated Disaster Site Volunteer Support Group?were mobilized to carry out emergency restoration of landslides and soil runoff, removal of mud from flooded homes, organization of household goods, and waste disposal, all aimed at restoring residents' living spaces and providing relief to those affected. On July 23, an additional recovery workforce of about 200 people was deployed.

Volunteers are carrying out flood damage recovery activities. Photo by Pocheon City

Pocheon City urgently requested the government to declare a special disaster area and provide state financial support to accelerate recovery efforts, and announced plans to mobilize all available administrative resources to continue recovery operations so that affected residents can return to their daily lives as soon as possible.

Mayor Baek Younghyeon stated, "Prompt state support through the declaration of a special disaster area is essential for residents to return to their daily lives," adding, "We will focus all administrative resources to complete the recovery work."

Meanwhile, on July 22, the government designated six locations?Gapyeong, Seosan and Yesan in South Chungcheong Province, Damyang in South Jeolla Province, and Sancheong and Hapcheon in South Gyeongsang Province?as special disaster areas. When an area is declared a special disaster area, up to 80% of recovery costs are covered by the state, and residents receive support such as deferred payment of national and local taxes, as well as reductions in health insurance premiums, electricity, and telecommunications fees.

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