Top Priority on Alleviating Residents' Anxiety and Ensuring Safety
Following another occurrence of ground subsidence (sinkhole) in Gangdong District, Seoul, the district announced that starting from May 2, it will conduct an urgent and thorough underground cavity inspection across all road sections within its jurisdiction, including both city and district roads.
The district explained that, together with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, it made the urgent decision to carry out this inspection, prioritizing the safety of residents who have become increasingly anxious due to a series of both large and small ground subsidence incidents.
This inspection will utilize ground-penetrating radar (GPR) equipment to survey for underground cavities beneath road surfaces. Initially, a vehicle-type GPR device will be used to conduct a comprehensive survey for cavities. If any anomalies are detected, the presence of cavities will be confirmed, and their size will be investigated using endoscopic imaging.
Cavities discovered in this manner will be addressed according to their size: small cavities will be repaired immediately, while larger cavities will undergo excavation to determine the exact cause before repairs are made.
Meanwhile, at around 3:30 p.m. on April 30, a sinkhole measuring 2 meters wide and 1.5 meters deep occurred on the road in the direction of Dunchon Station at the Gildong Intersection. The cause was identified as a water leak from a welded joint connected to a water supply transmission pipe.
Lee Soohee, Mayor of Gangdong District, stated, "Residents' anxiety is growing due to consecutive ground subsidence incidents," adding, "Through this urgent inspection, we will thoroughly examine all roads throughout Gangdong District and promptly take every necessary measure."
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