Gyeonggi Province Raises Heavy Rain Emergency to Level 2

SUWON — Gyeonggi Province urgently raised its disaster and safety countermeasures headquarters from emergency Level 1 to Level 2 at 12:30 p.m. on the 9th in response to heavy rainfall.

According to the province, the average cumulative rainfall across the province stood at 87.6 millimeters as of 1 p.m. that day, with Anseong recording the highest at 200.5 millimeters. Hwaseong logged the highest hourly rainfall, with 83.5 millimeters falling in one hour between 9:16 a.m. and 10:16 a.m.

Heavy rain advisories are currently in effect in 20 cities and counties across the province. Strong rain of around 20 to 50 millimeters per hour is forecast to continue through the morning of the 10th. Depending on the region, additional rainfall of more than 120 millimeters is possible.

Under the Level 2 emergency, Gyeonggi Province designated the head of its natural disaster division as chief of situation management. A total of 54 personnel entered emergency duty, including 39 officials from storm and flood-related departments such as the forest and green space division, road safety division, and river division, along with 15 staff at internal situation rooms in key departments.

This represents an increase of four departments, four affiliated agencies, and 17 personnel compared with emergency Level 1. The province plans to closely manage rainfall conditions, damage reports, and on-site control measures in each city and county.

Gyeonggi Province is inspecting areas at risk of flooding, including underpasses, semi-basement homes, and underground parking lots. It will impose immediate access controls if necessary. High-risk areas such as riverside walking paths, riverside parking lots, and low-level bridges are also subject to preemptive controls.

The province is also stepping up monitoring of landslide-prone areas and steep slopes. It plans to check emergency contact systems for priority evacuees and recommend preemptive evacuation if needed.

Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae earlier visited the province's disaster and safety situation room on the 6th to review disaster response operations. She also ordered the establishment of a preemptive readiness posture.

On the morning of the 9th, Choo visited a densely populated semi-basement housing area in Anyang and the Yeonhyeon drainage pumping station to inspect conditions on site. She checked the operation of flood detection alarm devices and whether the drainage pumping station was functioning normally.

The province has 1,032 flood detection alarm devices installed, and 239 drainage pumping stations are in operation.

"Please check weather information and disaster alert messages frequently, and refrain from entering areas at risk of flooding," said Kim Gyu-sik, head of Gyeonggi Province's safety management office.

"If you notice signs of danger or receive an evacuation notice, please move to a safe location immediately," he added.