Intensive Inspection of Dongnam-ro and Sangam-ro Areas
with GPR Survey
to Prevent Recurrence and Ensure Resident Safety
Gangdong-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Lee Su-hee) expressed deep condolences on the 27th to the deceased who lost their lives in the ground subsidence accident that occurred on the 24th and to the bereaved families who lost their precious loved ones, and announced that the district will spare no effort in providing all possible support.
In addition, regarding the accident, the district will prioritize preventing recurrence and ensuring residents' safety by conducting a special inspection of underground cavities (empty spaces) in the Dongnam-ro and Sangam-ro areas from the 27th to the 28th.
The district plans to form its own inspection team to conduct a detailed underground cavity survey on the sidewalks and side roads around the accident sites on Sangam-ro and Dongnam-ro to alleviate residents' concerns. Furthermore, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will also conduct a detailed underground cavity survey in the Sangam-ro and Dongnam-ro sections by the 28th.
This inspection will be carried out using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) equipment to detect cavities beneath the road surface. First, a vehicle-mounted GPR will conduct an overall survey of the relevant sections, and then a handheld GPR will perform a detailed survey on sections suspected of having cavities. At locations where cavities are confirmed during the detailed survey, drilling will be conducted to verify the presence of cavities, and endoscopic imaging will be used to assess their scale.
Discovered cavities will be restored immediately if small in scale, while larger cavities will undergo excavation investigations to accurately identify the cause before restoration.
Meanwhile, on the morning of the 26th, the Gangdong Police Station's Forensic Science Unit conducted an on-site investigation in the area, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plan to carry out restoration work in the area in the future.
The district has deployed support personnel to four nearby schools?Daemyeong Elementary, Hanyeong Middle and High School, and Hanyeong Foreign Language High School?to ensure the safety of students’ commuting routes to and from school. They are monitoring pedestrian safety at crosswalks and alleyways around the schools. Additionally, to prevent secondary accidents caused by access to the accident site, the district has formed its own countermeasure team to control the accident site 24 hours a day.
District Mayor Lee Su-hee stated, “We will closely cooperate with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and others, and carry out all inspections and measures within the district’s capacity,” adding, “We will make every effort to create a safe urban environment where residents can live with peace of mind.”
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