Gyeonggi Province Evacuates 528 Residents from Landslide and Casualty Risk Areas in Advance

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun] As heavy rainfall is forecasted for the central region between September 9-10, Gyeonggi Province has taken preemptive measures, including the advance evacuation of 528 residents from landslide-vulnerable areas and casualty-risk areas.

As of 6 a.m. on September 9, Gyeonggi Province evacuated 420 residents from eight cities and counties—Yongin, Hwaseong, Paju, Icheon, Anseong, Gwacheon, Gapyeong, and Yeoncheon—identified as landslide risk zones. An additional 108 residents from four cities and counties—Namyangju, Anyang, Gwacheon, and Gapyeong—where casualties are a concern were also evacuated in advance.
From September 1 to September 9, the province supplied a total of 6,300 emergency relief kits to seven cities and counties, including 3,100 kits to Yeoncheon and 2,100 kits to Paju, to support disaster victims. The province also provided disaster management stockpiled supplies including 290 emergency tents and 380 mattresses.
Meanwhile, the province plans to provide emergency disaster management funds to all 31 cities and counties, starting with 200 million won each to Yongin, Paju, Yeoncheon, and Gapyeong on September 10.

At an emergency inspection meeting on heavy rainfall damage and response measures held at the Provincial Government Office's Disaster Situation Room on the morning of September 9, Vice Governor Kim Hee-gyeom of Gyeonggi Province stated, "From tonight to tomorrow morning will be the critical period of this monsoon season," and instructed, "Particularly in areas with landslide concerns and dam collapse concerns, please actively publicize so that residents on site do not let their guard down and can respond promptly to dangerous situations."
Vice Governor Kim continued, "Typhoon No. 5 Rose is also moving northward, so respond thoroughly to prevent damage expansion, and also pay attention to quarantine measures so that COVID-19 does not spread in temporary evacuation facilities for disaster victims."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province is forecast to receive 100-200mm of heavy rainfall from noon on September 9 to midnight on September 10, with continued rainfall expected through September 14. Based on accumulated rainfall from September 1 to 6 a.m. on September 9, the average cumulative rainfall stands at 416.8mm. Yeoncheon recorded 739.5mm, and areas including Gapyeong, Yeoju, Yangpyeong, Anseong, Pocheon, and Gwangju exceeded 500mm of cumulative rainfall.
Due to concentrated heavy rainfall during this period, Gyeonggi Province has experienced 9 casualties, including 8 deaths and 1 missing person, as well as 392 disaster victims from 231 households. Additionally, damage occurred in 170 landslide locations, 90 agricultural infrastructure facilities including reservoirs, 47 rivers, 462 inundated houses, 2,699 hectares of crops, and 3,171 vinyl greenhouses.