Gwanak-gu Fully Activates Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for Wind and Flood Damage

Pre-Inspection of Vulnerable Facilities Completed, Emergency Work System Maintained for 5 Months Against Wind and Flood Damage... Additional Installation of Retention Tanks and Rainwater Pump Stations, Various Efforts by Public-Private Joint Patrol Teams and Care Officials

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) has established a disaster safety countermeasure headquarters to protect residents' lives and property safely from flood and wind damage caused by heavy rain and typhoons. The headquarters will operate for five months until mid-October, maintaining an emergency duty system.

Earlier, until April, safety management was strengthened by inspecting flood-vulnerable facilities such as large construction sites, advertisements, and slope facilities, as well as major disaster prevention facilities like detention basins and rainwater pumping stations, and completing preemptive measures for any deficiencies to prevent casualties and property damage caused by typhoons and heavy rain.

Due to the geographical characteristics of many low-lying areas and the presence of Dorimcheon Stream, the district has carried out various flood and wind damage prevention projects, including establishing customized disaster prevention facilities focused on areas with a high risk of flooding during concentrated heavy rain.

First, detention basins were installed in front of the main gate of Seoul National University (with a storage capacity of 40,000 tons) and two detention basins within the Seoul National University campus (with storage capacities of 20,000 tons and 5,000 tons each).

Additionally, three bridges were rebuilt with modern designs, water-blocking retaining walls were installed, and the flow cross-section was expanded to prevent the overflow of Dorimcheon Stream.

To prevent flooding in low-lying areas, three rainwater pumping stations (in Sillim-dong, Sinsa-dong, and Jowon-dong) were additionally installed, sewer pipe performance improvement works were carried out over a total length of 87.65 km, and backflow preventers and water-blocking panels were installed in 8,405 households.

Through these measures, the district now has the capacity to respond to concentrated heavy rainfalls of 90-100 mm per hour, whereas in the past, flooding damage occurred at 60-70 mm per hour.

Furthermore, to prepare for isolation accidents caused by sudden water level rises in Dorimcheon Stream during heavy rain, CCTV monitoring in the disaster safety countermeasure situation room has been strengthened, real-time remote access control facilities have been additionally installed, and river patrol teams are operated together with residents such as local autonomous disaster prevention groups to focus on preventing safety accidents.

In addition, a care service is being operated where one-to-one matching of district office care officials is provided to 216 households in flood-vulnerable areas such as low-lying underground houses, offering weather updates by phone and on-site assistance.

Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “We will strive to ensure that no casualties or property damage occur due to flood and wind damage through proactive response systems and active flood control administration, and continue the reputation of Gwanak as a city of safety excellence.”