"Preventing Devastating Floods"... Urban Flood Prevention Act Approved at Cabinet Meeting

Introduction of AI-based 'Urban Flood Forecast'

The Ministry of Environment announced that the Enforcement Decree of the "Urban Stream Basin Flood Damage Prevention Act (hereinafter referred to as the Urban Flood Prevention Act)" aimed at reducing urban flood damage caused by extreme rainfall due to climate change was approved at the Cabinet meeting on the 27th.

Following the enforcement of the Urban Flood Prevention Act, the Ministry of Environment will establish a "Basic Plan for Flood Damage Prevention in Specific Urban Streams" every 10 years and implement comprehensive flood damage prevention measures covering both streams and sewage systems.

First, within this year, a "Comprehensive Urban Flood Prevention Plan" will be established to analyze flood vulnerability in urban stream basins nationwide, derive management priorities, and prepare measures to improve the urban flood forecasting system.

Additionally, urban flood forecasting using artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be gradually expanded, focusing on flood-vulnerable areas. The urban flood forecasting pilot project conducted last year in the Dorimcheon basin in Seoul will be expanded from May to include the Gwangju (Gwangsan-gu), Pohang (Naengcheon), and Changwon (Changwoncheon) areas.

On the 29th, when a 'heavy rain warning' was issued in the Seoul metropolitan area, water barriers were installed at shops in Sinsa Market, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, which suffered flood damage last year. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Kim Gu-beom, Director of Water Resources Policy at the Ministry of Environment, stated, "As extreme rainfall becomes commonplace, it is time for systematic urban flood response led by the government," adding, "We will prepare comprehensive flood control measures linking streams and sewage systems."