Gyeonggi-do to Install Flood Prevention Facilities in 221 Underpasses by Next Year

Underground Passage Entry Blockade Facility

Gyeonggi Province is implementing damage prevention measures, including installing an automatic entry blocking system in underpasses expected to flood ahead of the rainy season.

Earlier, from September last year to early this year, Gyeonggi Province conducted a full survey of 303 underpasses in the province and determined that additional measures considering flooding situations, such as installing automatic entry blocking devices, were necessary for 221 of them.

Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province revised the action manual to immediately restrict vehicle entry when flooding of 15cm or more from the road surface occurs or is expected, and disseminated it to cities and counties on April 15.

In addition, by applying the latest Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the province plans to install an entry blocking system that automatically blocks entry during underpass flooding in all 221 underpasses at risk of flood damage by 2025.

The automatic vehicle entry blocking system detects flooding automatically through various sensors such as CCTV and water level gauges when underpasses are flooded due to heavy rain, and related information is notified to the disaster safety situation rooms of Gyeonggi Province and cities/counties, enabling remote or automatic operation of the entry blocking facilities.

This year, Gyeonggi Province will invest 17.5 billion KRW in the first phase to install automatic entry blocking systems in 77 underpasses.

Additionally, Gyeonggi Province will designate persons in charge for each underpass, composed of public officials, police, and autonomous disaster prevention groups, to strengthen on-site deployment and patrols during weather warnings.

Choo Dae-woon, Director of the Natural Disaster Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "We have prepared strengthened flood damage prevention measures for underpasses to protect the lives and property of residents from summer wind and flood disasters," and added, "We will do our best to prevent casualties through an immediate response system in case of underpass flooding."