Gwangmyeong City Establishes Robust Summer Safety Network... All-Out Preemptive Response to Heavy Rain and Heatwaves

Gwangmyeong City Mobilizes for "Zero" Summer Natural Disasters
Robust Safety Net with AI Flood Detection Systems
Natural Disaster Countermeasure Period Runs for 5 Months Starting from the 15th
One-on-One Evacuation Support for Vulnerable Groups, Operation of 167 Cooling Shelters

Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province is launching a "flawless" response system to protect citizens' safety in preparation for this summer, when sudden heavy rains and record-breaking heatwaves are expected.

Hye-min Choi, Acting Mayor of Gwangmyeong, held the '2026 Summer Natural Disaster Comprehensive Countermeasures Report Meeting' on the 14th at the city hall's large conference room. Provided by Gwangmyeong City

On the 14th, Gwangmyeong City, led by Acting Mayor Choi Hyemin, held the '2026 Summer Natural Disaster Comprehensive Countermeasures Briefing' at the city hall's main conference room and conducted a final review of detailed action plans for the countermeasure period, which will run from May 15 to October 15.

More than 80 people attended, including Choi Hyemin, Acting Mayor (Deputy Mayor) of Gwangmyeong, division and department heads, directors of affiliated and funded organizations, as well as representatives from Gwangmyeong Police Station and Gwangmyeong Fire Station. They shared department-specific response systems and collaboration status, and reaffirmed their disaster response posture.

Based on this year's summer weather outlook and last year's damage cases, the city has established comprehensive countermeasures by sector: ▲preparing for river floods and water damage, ▲management of large construction sites and key facilities, ▲management of landslides and steep slopes, ▲protection and welfare measures for vulnerable groups, ▲publicizing resident action guidelines and disaster recovery support, and ▲on-site response and evacuation support.

First, reflecting on the flooding of semi-basement homes caused by river overflow during the heavy rains last July, the city has strengthened its response to flood-prone areas.

The city plans to install AI and ICT-based flood detection systems on utility poles at 18 flood risk locations. If the water level rises more than 5 cm, text alerts will be immediately sent to the Safety Management Division, local administrative welfare centers, community heads, and the voluntary disaster prevention team, enabling swift evacuation. In addition, the city is supporting the installation of 62 flood barriers and 78 backflow prevention valves for 36 semi-basement households to help prevent flood damage.

Focused dredging work is also underway for 49 km of stormwater pipelines, more than 4,000 stormwater manholes, and over 15,600 catch basins in Haandong's priority management area and general areas.

Safety management of rivers and underpasses is also being reinforced. The city plans to quickly complete the installation of automatic vehicle entry blocking systems at 48 locations along Anyangcheon. Safety inspections of levees and riverbed dredging are being carried out on major rivers such as Anyangcheon, Mokgamcheon, Gaakcheon, and Hannaecheon.

Additionally, flood detection alarm devices are being installed in all seven underpasses. Replacement of drainage pumps has been completed at one road under a bridge and two underpasses, and flood preparedness drills have been conducted in cooperation with the police and fire departments.

Safety management at large construction sites, including redevelopment and reconstruction areas as well as the Sinansan Line and Wolgot-Pangyo Line construction sections, is also being enhanced. The city will conduct pre-inspections of drainage facilities and flood prevention materials to prevent accidents such as soil runoff, flooding, and strong winds during the rainy season. Plans are also in place to operate rest areas for workers and ensure rest periods to prevent heat-related illnesses.

A systematic approach has also been developed for managing landslides and steep slopes. The city will strengthen pre-safety inspections and monitoring of landslide-prone areas, steep slopes, and flood-prone locations, and will immediately carry out repairs and reinforcements when risks are identified.

An evacuation support system has also been established for residents in the event of a disaster. For vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and seniors living alone, the city has formed a Resident Evacuation Support Team to provide one-on-one rapid evacuation assistance in case of water damage. The city has also secured 59 temporary shelters for displaced residents.

Hye-min Choi, Acting Mayor of Gwangmyeong, is holding the "2026 Summer Natural Disaster Comprehensive Measures Briefing" at the city hall's main conference room on the 14th. Provided by Gwangmyeong City

Additionally, the city will operate 167 cooling shelters to combat the heat, and during heatwave advisories, will check on the health of seniors and people with disabilities via phone calls and home visits. The city also plans to operate an emergency room heat illness surveillance system to minimize health impacts on citizens.

Choi Hyemin, Acting Mayor (Deputy Mayor) of Gwangmyeong, stated, "The core of this plan is that we have established a thorough response system covering the entire disaster management process, from prevention to minimizing damage and swift response. We will leave no gaps in our preparations, prioritizing citizen safety from flood-prone area management to protection of vulnerable groups and strengthening on-site response systems."

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