[On Site] "Even if it takes two months, we have to restart the factory"... Factory Flooded on the Day the Seomjingang River Embankment Collapsed

“Devastated by the floodwaters reaching homes... Still, we must recover”
Gurye hit by ‘water bomb’, recovery work continues in factories and markets

The Dongbang Industrial Ready-Mix Concrete Plant located in Masan-myeon, Gurye-gun, which was submerged by the torrential rain exceeding 500mm on the 8th, revealed its appearance on the 10th. Photo by Dongbang Industrial

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] "The water rose up to the roof. Everything was submerged."

Kim Seongdae (57), CEO of Dongbang Industry, who was staring in despair at the silo (ready-mix concrete production and storage facility) revealed after the water receded, was at a loss for words.

Kim, who has been operating a ready-mix concrete factory for 15 years in Masan-myeon, Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do, at the southeastern foot of Jirisan Mountain upstream of the Seomjin River, experienced a nightmare when the river suddenly surged in the early morning of the 8th. On Saturday morning, during record-breaking heavy rain in the area, the Seomjin River embankment collapsed. The factory and office were submerged within 30 minutes. The rainwater that had been just ankle-deep mixed with the river water and rose to the height of the office ceiling in the blink of an eye. It was a life-threatening moment. He barely escaped with his life. Kim and his employees, who had evacuated, could only watch as the factory was flooded. Nine ready-mix concrete trucks and a payloader (a vehicle that scoops and transports sand) parked at the factory were all submerged. The transformer room and machinery were also rendered unusable. By the morning of the 10th, they barely managed to pump out the water using pumps.

Now the real work begins. Kim estimated that it would take more than a month to restart the factory. "Even if it takes two months, the factory must operate. My employees and I have to make a living..." Dongbang Industry is a small and medium-sized enterprise supplying ready-mix concrete to nearby construction sites in Gwangju, Namwon, Suncheon, Gwangyang, and Hadong. The ready-mix concrete factory in nearby Gokseong, Jeollanam-do, also suffered flood damage.

The county office requested support to borrow heavy equipment and pumps for recovery work. Although not in a position to help, Kim willingly sent equipment to assist residents in more difficult areas. Dongbang Industry, which struggled last year due to the downturn in the construction market, had even more days when the factory could not operate in the first half of this year due to COVID-19. And now the flood. Despite the scars left by the merciless floodwaters, Kim said while scooping out water and mud from inside the factory, "This rainy season was a direct hit amid the hardships caused by COVID-19, but we have to get back up. Whatever people do, there is nothing we can't do."

Suma swept through 267 stores in the Gurye Oil Market in an instant. On the 10th, merchants' goods piled up as they were taken out for restoration work. Photo by Reader Provided

At the entrance of Gurye Oil Market, where mud is scattered everywhere, items taken out from flooded stores are piled up like mountains. Lee Euljae (73), chairman of the merchants' association who runs a silk fabric store, sighed repeatedly while placing wet cotton and silk on the floor. "I can't even express it in words. The rice store across from us collapsed completely, the fish store collapsed too, and the whole market just sank without exception."

All 267 stores in the market were submerged in an instant on the morning of the 8th when the embankment collapsed and the river flooded into the town. There was no time to gather belongings. In the blink of an eye, the water rose to neck level, and fabrics, fish, and goods from the stalls began to float. Lee, who lived inside the store, barely escaped the market with his wife by fighting against the current.

Volunteers are busily helping with recovery work, but without water and electricity, it is not easy to remove wet items. Merchants clearing the piles of mud and goods that never seem to go away sometimes stared blankly at the sky. The flood, which struck the market already suffering from COVID-19 and prolonged rainy season, left the merchants devastated.

"I heard military forces from Gwangju are coming, so we're just waiting for that. But it's raining again." On the second day since evacuating to the village hall, Lee, who lost his home and store, said he was still fortunate to have a large family. "Those who run businesses alone without children will find recovery hopeless. Still, everyone must help and recover quickly." Lee stacked the wet goods with busy hands.

A view of Gurye-eup submerged in water due to the heavy torrential rain. Gurye-gun has estimated the damage from this flood at a minimum of 56.8 billion KRW. Photo by Reader Provided

The southern regions including Gwangju and Jeollanam-do received around 500mm of 'water bombs' until last weekend. Due to the collapse of the Seomjin River embankment and other factors, more than 2,000 disaster victims occurred in Namwon, Jeonbuk; Damyang and Gurye, Jeollanam-do; and Sancheong, Gyeongnam. The water bombs that hit the southern region again covered the central region and the Seoul metropolitan area on the 10th and 11th.

Residents in the severely damaged Jeollanam-do and Jeonbuk areas hope the government will promptly declare these areas as special disaster zones to aid recovery. Previously, President Moon Jae-in declared seven cities and counties including Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, and Cheorwon, Gangwon-do as special disaster zones on the 7th.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups established a disaster situation room on the 3rd and is supporting recovery efforts for the heavy rain damage. The situation room assesses damage in each region and cooperates with related organizations to support facility recovery and provide information on policy funds for affected businesses. The Small and Medium Business Corporation supports recovery funds through on-site emergency support experts called Ambulancemen and the Fast Track system.

Kang Sungcheon, Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, "As additional areas with severe damage have emerged due to continuous heavy rain, we will prepare additional support measures including these areas to help them return to normal as soon as possible."