Nowon District Establishes Ground Subsidence Response System: "Rapid and Systematic Action"

Manual Developed and Response Team Operated
Aiming to Alleviate Residents' Anxiety

Nowon District in Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seungrok) announced on September 23 that it has established a “Ground Subsidence Response System” capable of rapid and systematic action to address recurring ground subsidence (sinkhole) incidents in urban areas.

A scene inspecting hazard factors at an underground development site. Provided by Nowon-gu.

According to the district, there were a total of 24 ground subsidence incidents in Nowon District from 2023 to July of this year. Of these, 18 cases, or 75%, were caused by underground infrastructure such as sewer pipelines. In addition, 19 cases, accounting for 79%, occurred during the period from the thawing season to heavy rainfall, indicating that seasonal factors have a significant impact on the occurrence of such incidents.

In response, Nowon District has established a system that automatically activates the “Ground Subsidence Response Team” whenever a Level 1 (Caution) or higher weather alert is issued during the operation period of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for storm and flood disasters. The district has reinforced its civil engineering staff and on-site rapid response teams to ensure prompt initial action. Upon receiving a report or detecting an incident, a step-by-step response system is implemented, consisting of initial response, emergency response, and cause identification and restoration.

In particular, once on site, the risk level of the incident is categorized into three stages: “Simple,” “Urgent,” and “Critical,” with corresponding responses. If the cavity is located near an underground development site, a joint inspection is conducted with the facility manager, and immediate action is taken with advice from the Nowon District Underground Safety Committee if necessary.

To enhance effectiveness, the district has also produced a 40-page “Ground Subsidence Response Manual.” The manual includes definitions of ground subsidence and related terms, risk classification criteria, and step-by-step on-site response procedures. It also provides illustrated methods for measuring the impact range around excavation sites and outlines accident development patterns by cause, making it easy for new staff to apply in the field. Based on this manual, the district plans to conduct training for its public officials to further strengthen their response capabilities.

A district official stated, “Repeated ground subsidence incidents are increasing anxiety among residents,” adding, “Establishing a response system is essential as awareness of the importance of prompt initial action is growing.”

Oh Seungrok, Mayor of Nowon District, said, “The ability to respond safely to protect residents’ lives and property is fundamental to administrative trust. We will respond quickly and systematically from prevention and initial action to post-incident management.”

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