Western slope damaged 12m wide by 8m long... Earthen fortress built in Joseon Dynasty
Access restricted at collapse site... City "Reported to National Heritage Cheong... Restoration to take 2-3 months"
Part of the Daeseongdong Tumuli, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has collapsed. This was due to a record-breaking 428mm downpour over two days in Gimhae City, Gyeongnam Province. This is the first time that part of the tumuli has collapsed due to heavy rain.
The collapse occurred at noon on the 21st, when the heavy rain fell. The western slope of the Daeseongdong Tumuli collapsed all at once, cutting out an area 12 meters wide and 8 meters long. Fortunately, there were no casualties as there were no pedestrians passing by due to the heavy rain at the time of the collapse. Gimhae City has since restricted access to the site and covered it with a large tarp.
This tumulus, which has a hill-like shape, is usually open for citizens and tourists to freely walk around or visit. After the partial collapse, Gimhae City reported the situation to the National Heritage Agency and plans to investigate the cause and restore the site once the rain has completely stopped and the ground is safe and dry.
Song Won-young, director of the Gimhae Daeseongdong Tumuli Museum, stated, "The area where the collapse occurred is where a Joseon Dynasty earthen fortress was built on top of the Gaya tumuli. It is presumed that part of the slope collapsed all at once due to the heavy rain." He added, "The exact cause of the accident will be determined through an expert on-site investigation, and the restoration is expected to take 2 to 3 months."
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