Gyeonggi Province Activates Emergency Disaster Safety Headquarters Level 3 in Preparation for Typhoon Mainsak

[Suwon Ilbo = Park No-hoon] As Typhoon Mainsak, the ninth typhoon of the season, moves northward, Gyeonggi Province will activate its Emergency Disaster Safety Headquarters Level 3 from 2 p.m. and begin situation management.

The province has first issued pre-evacuation orders for hikers and campers in mountainous valleys and controlled mountain access. For 50 vulnerable roads with flood risks, pump operation personnel have been deployed in advance, and through pre-inspections, emergency communication systems have been established to enable access restrictions when necessary.

To prevent damage to crops such as rice and fruit before the harvest season, the province will disseminate crop management guidelines to farmers, strengthen field inspections by city and county governments, and promote early harvesting. Additionally, given the possibility of the typhoon approaching inland, inspections will be conducted on approximately 2,000 fishing vessels and aquaculture facilities for tying and fixing, in addition to 33 ports and harbors as well as inland waterways. Advance control measures for flooding and overtopping (seawater flowing over breakwaters or embankments) in coastal low-lying areas and breakwaters will also be carried out.

The province will operate a separate 24-hour landslide situation room comprised of the Forestry Division and city and county governments, and send disaster text alerts on hiking bans to prevent typhoon-related casualties. When a "landslide crisis alert" is issued due to heavy rainfall, disaster text messages will be sent to residents in adjacent areas, and hiking trails and major walking paths will be closed. In accordance with weather conditions, the province will implement staged situation responses and resident evacuation safety measures through the landslide information system.

In addition, the province will cooperate with city and county governments to inspect deteriorated protruding wall signage, illegal banners and standing advertisements, and will immediately implement maintenance measures for advertisements with imminent risks of falling, damage, or collapse. Gyeonggi Province previously experienced 18 cases of advertising-related damage when Typhoon Bavi moved northward. For private construction sites vulnerable to typhoons, such as tower crane and steel frame work, work stoppages will be implemented according to wind speed.

A province official stated, "This typhoon carries the danger of bringing both heavy rainfall and strong winds while passing through inland areas, so thorough preparation is necessary," and added, "We urge active cooperation from city and county governments and special caution from residents to prevent casualties and property damage."