[Report] "Flooded Again After 5 Years"... Yongjeon Village Devastated by 600mm Torrential Rain

Stench Fills the Alleys as Belongings Are Soaked
Only a Few Clothes and Blankets Saved... Recovery Seems Impossible
Anger Mounts Over Lack of Measures Even After Urban Flood Five Years Ago

On the 21st, Yoonja Jung (70) is pointing to household items discarded by the roadside in Yongjeon Village, Yongjeon-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Chanki Min

"I feel like I'll develop a trauma every time it rains. Nothing has changed since the heavy rain five years ago, which is infuriating."

Morning of July 21, Yongjeon Village, Yongjeon-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju.

After more than 600mm of torrential rain swept through between July 17 and 19, the alleys of Yongjeon Village were strewn with all kinds of household items, from waterlogged wooden furniture to rice cookers, electric fans, and daily necessities. Residents, along with soldiers dispatched for recovery support, were sweeping away rainwater and mud or removing items, while one resident, upon seeing the daily necessities scattered on the street, let out a sigh with a devastated expression.

The streets were filled with a stench from the piles of garbage and water-soaked belongings. Residents hung lines on one side of their homes to dry rain-soaked clothes. Because water had flooded the inside of their homes, they had to throw away almost all their household goods, with only a few clothes and some furniture left.

Yoonja Jung (74), whom we met here, explained that during the three days of heavy rain, the water on this road rose up to her neck. Jung said, "I've been living here since 1989, and I've never seen damage this severe. Five years ago, the water only reached my shins, but this time it came up to my waist, and on the street, I could barely keep my head above water," she lamented.

The condition of Jung's house attested to the destructive power of the three days of torrential rain. The floor, with all the linoleum removed, was covered in mold, and the only things left were a few blankets and side dish containers. Jung said that she stayed at a nearby lodging for three days starting July 17, when the rain began, and when she returned home, the water had risen to her waist, with the refrigerator and furniture floating in the water.

After hearing the news, her son and daughter-in-law immediately came to Jung's house to help remove belongings, but the recovery process, including laying new linoleum and procuring daily necessities, remains daunting. Pointing to a plastic drawer in front of her door, Jung said, "I threw away everything made of wood, but I left this here in front of the house, hoping to clean it and use it somehow."

Jung added, "My house is actually at a higher elevation compared to other parts of Yongjeon Village, but even so, the water rose to my waist. I have to live here again, but seeing all the discarded items is heartbreaking. I don't even know where to apply for disaster relief or whom to ask for information. I just hope there will be support so we can at least maintain a basic standard of living," she pleaded.

On the 21st, furniture soaked in water was discarded around Yongjeon Village in Yongjeon-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Min Chanki

The situation was the same at the home of Geumsik Pyo (70), who lives nearby. Pyo, who has lived in Yongjeon Village for ten years, said, "There was heavy rain in 2020 as well, but nothing has changed. If proper measures had been taken back then, this flood wouldn't have been this bad," he said angrily.

Pyo spent the entire day sweating as he moved household items out onto the street. He had installed an ochre room for health reasons, but the clay had all melted away, and demolition work was in full swing. Pyo said, "We're demolishing the living room and the kitchen one by one, but it will take at least a month to complete all the repairs."

Residents also voiced strong complaints that the lackadaisical response of the local government had exacerbated the damage. Pyo said, "The entire Yongjeon Village was flooded by heavy rain in 2020, and if countermeasures had been put in place then, things wouldn't have gotten this bad. Most people living here are elderly, so flooding has a major impact on their daily lives. If it rains again, we'll be flooded and lose all our belongings again, to the point where it could cause trauma," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, as of now, Gwangju City has received reports of 1,311 cases of damage, including 470 cases of road flooding and 260 cases of road damage. By district, Seo-gu had the highest number with 339 cases, followed by Nam-gu with 227 cases, Buk-gu with 204 cases, Gwangsan-gu with 166 cases, and Dong-gu with 161 cases.

As of the morning of July 21, Jeollanam-do had provisionally tallied property damage at 35,278,000,000 KRW. Public facilities sustained 366 cases of damage (23,877,000,000 KRW), mostly due to road loss or destruction. There were 234 cases of embankment loss in local and small rivers, making up the majority. By area, Damyang had 59 cases, Naju 43 cases, Yeonggwang 31 cases, and Gokseong 27 cases, in that order. As local governments have only just begun to officially accept damage reports, the total amount of damage is expected to increase further.

During the three days from July 17 to 19, cumulative rainfall by region reached a maximum of 602.5mm at Baegunsan in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do. Bongsan in Damyang recorded 540.5mm, Gwangju 527.2mm, Seongsamjae in Gurye 516.5mm, Naju 508.5mm, and Gwangsan in Gwangju 500.0mm, indicating heavy rainfall across the region.

The highest hourly rainfall in Gwangju was 80.0mm in Nam-gu, ranking third after 86.5mm on August 8, 2008, and 82.0mm on August 8, 2020.