30s Foreigner Rescued from Flooded Vehicle in Sancheong

At around 11:30 PM on the 15th, a vehicle was submerged on the Hanbat floodplain road in Naeri, Sancheong-eup, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam, and a foreign male driver in his 30s was rescued by police and firefighters.

According to the Gyeongnam Police Station on the 16th, a traffic officer on patrol at the time discovered the vehicle with its hazard lights on, standing still.

The rescued driver moved to a safe location, and the submerged vehicle was towed away.

One vehicle is standing submerged in water.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Police Agency]

From the 15th to 6 AM on the 16th, a total of 25 reports of accidents and breakdowns related to heavy rain were received by police stations in the province.

Currently, disaster situation rooms are operating at 24 police stations in the province, conducting hourly patrols and proactive safety measures at 31 underground passages and 50 roads near rivers.

The Gyeongnam police evacuated 58 residents from nine villages at risk of landslides, including Geochang Geumgye Village, to village halls and other safe locations, and 70 campers at outdoor camping sites such as Geumwonsan were sent home after refunds were issued.

Residents of three villages, including Gachon Village in Hamyang, which is at risk of river flooding, and Sangsin Village, a landslide risk area, totaling 19 people, were evacuated in advance.

Access and traffic are being restricted in underground passages, waterfront parks, and riverbanks, and a special task force team was dispatched to assist in the search for missing persons in Gyeongbuk.

A police official stated, “We will continue emergency duty until the heavy rain situation ends to ensure the safety of residents,” and added, “We are focusing on safety messages and announcements, and strongly advise not to go to dangerous areas.”