"Flood Damage Prevention"…Yangcheon District Installs Flood Prevention Facilities in 4,051 Basement Homes

Completion Before the Rainy Season

Eliminating Blind Spots in Flood and Typhoon Preparedness

Yangcheon District in Seoul announced on April 26 that it will complete the installation of flood prevention facilities in 4,051 flood-prone basement and semi-basement homes before the rainy season, in preparation for heavy summer downpours.

The facilities to be installed include waterproof panels (water barriers) that block surface water inflow, and backflow preventers that stop sewage from flowing back into homes. The district plans to install both types of facilities together to maximize flood prevention effectiveness.

Installation of waterproof panels in semi-basement houses to prepare for flood and typhoon damage. Provided by Yangcheon District Office.

The target households include 1,551 homes recommended for installation based on a comprehensive survey conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 2023, as well as approximately 2,500 households newly identified in the district's own 2024 survey. The recommended recipients are categorized as follows: 7 households with residents who have severe disabilities, 37 elderly or child households, 1,145 households with a previous history of flooding, and 362 other households. Installation work has been carried out in stages according to these categories. The current installation rate is 93.3%, and the district aims to achieve 100% completion by May.

In the 2024 survey, the district additionally selected about 4,400 semi-basement homes located in low-lying, flood-prone areas of Sinwol 1, 2, and 4-dong and Sinjeong 4-dong for intensive management. Of these, approximately 2,500 homes have been undergoing facility installation since last year, with an installation rate of 85.5% as of now. The goal is to achieve 100% completion within the first half of this year. For facilities already installed, the district maintains an ongoing maintenance system by conducting annual comprehensive inspections to check for aging or damage and performing necessary repairs.

Yangcheon District was recognized for its on-site, proactive safety network and was named the top-performing district among Seoul’s 25 autonomous districts in the ‘2025 Flood and Typhoon Safety Measures Evaluation’ organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

From May to October, the district will operate its Disaster Safety Response Headquarters around the clock and conduct intensive inspections of 135 vulnerable locations, including large construction sites and underground facilities. Maintenance of 48,000 storm drains and dredging of 45,000 meters of sewer pipes will also be completed ahead of the rainy season to proactively eliminate potential flood risks.

A Yangcheon District official stated, "As unpredictable heavy rainfall becomes more frequent due to the climate crisis, we will complete the installation of prevention facilities in all vulnerable homes before the rainy season to ensure residents can enjoy a safe living environment with peace of mind."

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