Geochang County Holds Inspection Meeting to Prepare for Summer Natural Disasters

Establishing a Disaster Response System for a Safe Summer

Geochang County in Gyeongsangnam-do held the '2024 Summer Season Natural Disaster Inspection Meeting' with Vice-Governor Lee Byungchul presiding, attended by the Director of Safety and Construction, department heads, and heads of towns and townships, with over 30 participants.

Over the past month, due to abnormal weather conditions, precipitation was 31.1% higher than average, and temperatures rose by 1.6°C. In response, the county determined that thorough preparation for natural disasters was necessary, and convened this meeting with department and township heads gathered together.

Geochang County is holding a meeting to inspect natural disasters during the summer season.

The meeting, held on the 21st, proceeded with updates on summer weather conditions and forecasts, sharing of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s summer natural disaster response measures, key departmental action plans, and a discussion session.

To thoroughly prevent nationwide disasters such as slope collapses, river disasters, and flooding of underground spaces, the attending senior officials were informed of updates to the natural disaster manual and improvements to situation management systems compared to last year. They also shared key heatwave response measures and cooperation items with central and Gyeongsangnam-do authorities.

In particular, the meeting included reports by department heads on: advance preparations for areas at risk of casualties, protection measures for high-risk individuals during heatwave advisories, advance checks and preparations for landslide-prone areas, plans for handling household waste during heavy rainfall, inspection plans for construction site management, pre-emptive measures for flooding in underground parking lots of apartment complexes, and management of agricultural damage prevention. Departments also shared cooperation items and established a disaster response system.

Geochang County plans to conduct thorough inspections of 28 high-risk areas, such as reservoirs and dangerous zones, where serious casualties could occur due to natural disasters. To prevent deaths and heat-related illnesses during the summer heatwaves, the county will operate 614 heatwave response facilities, such as indoor cooling shelters, and 19 parasol rental stations.

Additionally, with township heads at the center, the county will urge elderly farmers to refrain from farming activities during heavy rain and heatwaves, and will actively promote the three key rules for preventing heatstroke.

Vice-Governor Lee Byungchul stated, "Even though it is not currently the rainy season, there have been cases of damage caused by recent heavy rains," and added, "Due to abnormal weather, we must be more thoroughly prepared for natural disasters this year than in previous years. I ask all departments to do their utmost to ensure the safety of our residents."

Previously, on the 9th, Geochang County conducted an emergency on-site inspection of large construction sites, which are vulnerable to disasters, in preparation for heavy rainfall. The county checked the installation status of safety facilities and drainage maintenance, and immediately addressed any deficiencies found during the inspection.

To respond to summer disasters, the county will focus all efforts on protecting residents' safety by inspecting, repairing, and reinforcing facilities under its jurisdiction, such as steep slopes, landslide-prone areas, and riversides, as well as inspecting and maintaining disaster warning and alert facilities.