Imsil County Enters 'Natural Disaster Emergency Level 1' Amid Heavy Rain Advisory

All-Out Efforts to Prevent Loss of Life and Property

Imsil County in North Jeolla Province immediately entered 'Natural Disaster Emergency Level 1' duty on July 17 in response to the heavy rain advisory issued for the eastern region of Jeonbuk, and began taking preemptive measures.

Imsil County immediately entered 'Natural Disaster Emergency Level 1' duty on the 17th in response to the heavy rain advisory issued for the eastern region of Jeonbuk. Photo by Imsil County

According to the Jeonju Meteorological Administration, strong rainfall of around 30mm per hour is expected in the eastern region of Jeonbuk until July 18. In response, Imsil County plans to implement advance closures of riverside walking trails and Saewolgyo Bridge to prevent casualties in advance.

The county will monitor weather conditions in real time and, by operating the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at Emergency Level 1, will rapidly deploy a total of 43 staff members across 10 collaborating departments and 12 towns and townships to focus all efforts on preventing loss of life and property damage.

Previously, since July 14, the county, together with related agencies such as the police and fire departments, conducted on-site inspections of major disaster-prone facilities, including areas at risk of casualties, flood-prone sections, drainage pump stations, and stormwater retention facilities, and rechecked the status of safety management.

In addition, the county secured smooth water flow by removing sediment and obstacles from rivers and maintaining river roads, and thoroughly inspected the availability of flood control materials and the operational status of related facilities.

To prevent landslides, the county is strengthening monitoring activities in areas at risk of falling rocks and collapse in cooperation with the Landslide Site Prevention Team and the Volunteer Disaster Prevention Corps. The county is also reorganizing its cooperation system and response protocols with relevant agencies to ensure immediate action in the event of an emergency.

County Governor Shim Min said, "When a heavy rain warning is issued, we ask residents living near rivers and steep slopes to pay close attention to disaster broadcasts and village announcements, and to evacuate quickly to the nearest village hall, town or township office, or school if an evacuation order is issued."

Meanwhile, the county is continuously promoting resident action guidelines through various channels, including disaster text messages, electronic display boards, and village broadcasts, so that residents can respond quickly to disaster situations during the rainy season.