Zero Casualties... Busan City Implements Comprehensive Summer Natural Disaster Measures

Comprehensive Measures for Full-Scale Response to Floods, Heatwaves

Implementing Integrated Plan with 'Zero Casualties' Goal

All-Out Effort for Natural Disaster Prevention and Response This Summer

Busan City is establishing a comprehensive plan for wind and flood disasters and a comprehensive heatwave countermeasure plan to prepare for natural disasters this summer and is making an all-out effort to respond.

Major Measures for 2023.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, this summer's rainfall is expected to be similar to or higher than the average year, with an increase in heavy rain exceeding 50mm per hour, typhoons, and heatwave days, and temperatures are also expected to rise compared to the average year.

Looking at the nationwide damage patterns related to natural disasters last summer, heavy rain and typhoons mainly saw an increase in heavy rain exceeding 100mm per hour, and in particular, the super typhoon Hinnamnor, which directly passed through Busan, occurred.

There were also casualties caused by outdoor work during heatwave-vulnerable hours.

Accordingly, Busan City has set "Zero Casualties" as the top priority goal and has established a comprehensive plan to prevent casualties, including focused response to flooding damage in low-lying and underground areas and focused management of heatwave-vulnerable groups, and is beginning full-scale implementation.

Major measures for heavy rain and typhoons include ▲ pilot operation of the "Urban Flood Integrated Information System," a citizen information service providing flood risk information (the first nationwide) ▲ promotion of new projects such as installation of safety facilities to prevent manhole falls ▲ raising the disaster prevention performance standard, the "Disaster Prevention Performance Target" (from 105mm/h to 114mm/h) ▲ expansion of support for installation of flood prevention facilities (water barriers) in disaster-vulnerable areas such as semi-basement houses, expanding existing projects.

Major heatwave countermeasures include ▲ expansion of cooling shelters and heatwave reduction facilities ▲ strengthening management of vulnerable groups such as support for cooling costs at senior centers ▲ operation of an emergency room surveillance system for heat-related illnesses.

In addition, to stabilize residents' lives in case of damage, the city plans to thoroughly prepare for damage recovery through ▲ increasing the amount of support for damaged house restoration costs ▲ establishing a new citizen safety insurance benefit for deaths caused by natural disasters.

Since the underground road flooding accident in 2020, the city has effectively responded to typhoons and heavy rain over the past two years (’21?’22) without casualties through thorough pre-inspections, proactive pre-control, and resident evacuation centered on the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (headed by the mayor). Going forward, the city plans to work actively with related organizations (departments) to further protect citizens' lives and property.

Mayor Park Hyung-jun said, “Recent climate change is causing frequent cases that go beyond our fixed ideas, so we must always consider the worst-case scenario in disaster response,” adding, “Our city will earnestly implement this comprehensive plan with the goal of zero casualties and make every effort to prevent and respond to natural disasters this summer.” He also urged, “Citizens should frequently check weather information during the summer and pay attention to various disaster information such as urban flood information and disaster text messages to prevent damage from heavy rain and typhoons, and even if it is inconvenient, actively cooperate with the city’s requests.”