Gyeonggi-do Provides 'Emergency Living Security Fund' to Flood Victims

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has decided to intensively manage vulnerable forest areas and aging reservoirs to prevent the expansion of damage caused by continuous heavy rain for four days, and to promptly provide emergency living security funds to disaster victims.

On the 4th, Gyeonggi Province held a heavy rain situation inspection meeting chaired by Kim Hee-gyeom, the first deputy governor of the province, attended by deputy heads of cities and counties and key department directors, to discuss damage recovery, prevention, and support measures.

Deputy Governor Kim said, "Unfortunately, there were many tragic casualties in Gyeonggi Province yesterday," and urged, "Cities and counties should focus on managing dangerous areas such as steep slopes and retaining walls and pay special attention to prevent further casualties."

The province plans to thoroughly inspect about 100 vulnerable forest areas at high risk of landslides and 233 aging agricultural reservoirs managed by cities and counties with weak management, and to evacuate campers and others in advance.

In addition, emergency living security funds will be promptly provided to disaster victims adopting a 'payment first, investigation later' approach.

Deputy Governor Kim instructed to establish integrated support centers in cities and counties with severe damage and to dispatch on-site patrol teams to frequently inspect areas with many tourists.

According to the Gyeonggi Province Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters, the average cumulative rainfall in the province from midnight on the 1st to 7 a.m. on the 4th was recorded at 235.4 mm. The maximum cumulative rainfall was 401 mm.

As of 7 a.m. on the 4th, there were a total of 9 casualties, including 7 deaths and 2 missing persons, and 456 disaster victims in 327 households. Landslides occurred in 30 locations in Anseong and Icheon, and three reservoirs were partially damaged. In addition, 241 houses were flooded, and 1,627 hectares of crops were submerged.