Nowon-gu, Fully Committed to Proactive Flood and Wind Disaster Countermeasures

A total of 285 flood control facilities and flood-vulnerable areas undergo simultaneous inspection... 60 minor issues detected, 34 cases resolved

A total of 38 life-threatening areas separately designated and managed... Registered in the Flood and Wind Disaster Management System, management cards prepared by relevant departments

Thorough efforts to minimize damage throughout neighborhoods, including installation of flood prevention facilities in low-lying areas and forward deployment of new pumps to community service centers

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it is making every effort to prepare for the flood and wind disaster season starting in May.

First, flood control facilities and flood-vulnerable areas were simultaneously inspected and recently maintained. A total of 285 inspection targets were checked twice, including 16 private and public construction sites, 4 rivers covering a total of 19.9 km, 18 slope facilities such as retaining walls, steep slopes, landslide-prone areas, and rockfall risk zones, and 199 underground parking lots in apartment complexes.

They examined whether drainage functions such as temporary drainage channels were secured, whether sufficient sedimentation basins were installed to prevent soil erosion downstream, and whether there were any defects in river facilities. Test operations of flood control facilities such as rainwater pumping stations and sluice gates were also conducted.

As a result, no serious defects were found, but a total of 60 minor issues were detected. So far, 34 cases, including dredging of sediment in the bottom of Jungnangcheon Stream, have been addressed. The remaining 26 cases, such as sewer pipe dredging and rainwater inlet cleaning, are currently underway and are aimed to be completed before the rainy season.

Furthermore, the district separately designates and manages “life-threatening areas.” Last year, flood and wind disasters in Seoul resulted in 8 deaths and about 20,000 facility damages. Nowon-gu had no casualties but experienced 132 private facility damages, 110 public facility damages, and 14 cases of tree falls.

In addition to the 9 life-threatening areas previously managed, 29 additional risk areas such as landslide-prone districts, semi-basement houses, and riverside walking trails were identified, totaling 38 areas for focused management. These are registered in the Flood and Wind Disaster Management System, and relevant departments prepare management cards and resident evacuation plans to meticulously prepare for emergencies. The district also plans to inform related agencies such as police and fire stations to establish a cooperative inspection system.

Reservoir Inspection

Also, the district is promoting a project to install flood prevention facilities in low-lying areas. Since 2015, water barriers and backflow prevention devices have been installed in underground houses vulnerable to flooding. A total of 752 households have been supported so far, with 223 households in 2021 and 303 households in 2022.

This year, the goal is to install facilities in 250 households. Especially, for 81 semi-basement households that suffered flood damage last year, responsible officials personally visited to encourage installation and conducted focused promotion. Except for 9 households, all affected households have applied, and installation is expected to be completed by May. Flood and wind disaster insurance was also actively promoted to them. This insurance system compensates for property damage caused by unexpected natural disasters at the national level.

The district also took direct charge of pump management, which was previously entrusted to each neighborhood, conducting a full survey of 417 pumps. A total of 47 pumps that exceeded their service life or were malfunctioning were discarded, and new submersible pumps capable of suction up to 3 cm flood depth were additionally purchased and forward-deployed to community service centers.

Meanwhile, the district has organized 13 task forces under the Disaster Safety Countermeasures Headquarters led by the mayor, operating a 24-hour emergency contact system in response to weather changes. The comprehensive flood and wind disaster measures will be implemented and the response system maintained until October.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Natural disasters cannot be avoided, but all district office staff are making every effort to reduce damage and protect the lives and property of residents. We will establish a system to respond quickly in case of emergencies and closely monitor every neighborhood.”

Yeongdeungpo-gu installs backflow preventers and water barriers free of charge in underground houses

3,510 backflow preventers and 690 water barriers installed free of charge in low-lying underground houses

Budget of 1.4 billion KRW until depletion... Flood Control Division and community service centers accept applications by phone or visit anytime

1,107 flood prevention facilities inspected and maintained before the rainy season... Minimizing flood damage to residents

Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced that it will install 3,510 backflow preventers and 690 water barriers free of charge to proactively prevent flood damage in low-lying underground houses.

From March to December this year, a budget of 1.4 billion KRW will be invested targeting underground houses and small businesses in flood-vulnerable areas. However, entertainment establishments, gambling, nightlife, speculation, and other inappropriate businesses are excluded.

A backflow preventer is a device that prevents backflow caused by high water levels in sewer pipes due to heavy rain. It is mainly attached to drainage facilities inside houses such as floors, washbasins, sinks, toilets, and washing machine drains.

Water barriers are installed at house entrances, underground stair entrances, and semi-basement house windows to block surface water inflow.

Residents wishing to install flood prevention facilities can apply by visiting or calling the Yeongdeungpo-gu Flood Control Division or community service centers. Tenant applications require the building owner's consent.

Installation of flood prevention facilities will continue until the budget is exhausted, and all construction costs are free. Maintenance responsibility after installation lies with the user, and any defects due to installation issues can be reported to the district’s Flood Control Division.

Meanwhile, from March 27 to April 28, the district will conduct pre-rainy season inspections and maintenance of 1,107 flood prevention facilities installed in the past five years. Through first telephone and second on-site inspections, they will thoroughly prevent flood damage by checking for damage or deformation of water barriers and backflow preventers, abnormalities in electrical facilities inside sumps, cleanliness of debris, and operation of submersible pumps.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “Due to recent abnormal weather, the risks of localized heavy rain, typhoons, and other disasters are increasing. Households at risk of flooding should definitely install flood prevention facilities to minimize flood damage and ensure safety.”