Swift Recovery Efforts Amid Record Rainfall in Goyang
Flood Warning Issued for Gongneungcheon Area, Changneungcheon Overflow Risk, and Gangmae Underpass Flooding
City Upgrades to Heavy Rain Warning, Mobilizes All Staff for Emergency Duty with 158 Damage Reports
On August 13, Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) launched an all-out response to minimize flood damage as extreme rainfall exceeding 121 mm per hour (measured at Haengjusanseong History Park) hit the entire city.
Lee Donghwan, mayor of Goyang Special City, is giving comprehensive instructions to minimize flood damage amid extreme rainfall exceeding 121 mm per hour across the entire city on the 13th. Provided by Goyang Special City
The heavy rain advisory issued at 5:30 a.m. was upgraded to a heavy rain warning at 10:30 a.m., just five hours later, as torrential downpours continued. As of 1:00 p.m., the cumulative precipitation reached 234 mm (measured at Gwansan-dong).
As of 2:00 p.m., a total of 158 damage reports had been received by the city, including flooded roads, submerged underpasses, and waterlogged homes. However, there have been no reports of casualties.
Due to the sudden extreme downpour, seven underpasses in the city (Gangmae, Samseongdang, Seooreung, Galmeori, Haengju, Hangongdae Station (Hwajeon), and Gangchon-ro) were closed in the morning. By 2:30 p.m., drainage had improved, and only two underpasses-Galmeori and Hangongdae Station (Hwajeon)-remained closed. Twenty major roads, including New Seoul Shopping Intersection on Jungang-ro and Okbit Village Three-way Intersection, were flooded but are currently being restored.
A landslide occurred at 684-5 Ogeum-dong, blocking passage. In Todang-dong, Hwajeong-dong, Deogi-dong, and Gangchon Village, 26 cases of home flooding were reported, and restoration work is underway. The city is reviewing the provision of daily necessities in cooperation with the Red Cross. A total of 18 households, including eight in Baekseok 2-dong, have been reported as disaster victims and are being verified. Additional reports include damaged and overflowing manholes, as well as sewage backflow and other various incidents.
River levels also rose sharply. A flood warning was issued for the area around Wondanggyo Bridge on Gongneungcheon Stream. In Changneungcheon, where residents were ordered to evacuate due to the risk of overflow, the river overflowed in both the Hwajeon section and Gwansan Bridge section, and response efforts are ongoing.
Rail operations were also disrupted.
The Gyeongui-Jungang Line, which had temporarily suspended service due to flooding, has been restored, but trains are currently passing Hangongdae Station without stopping. On Subway Line 3, service between Gupabal and Baekseok stations remains suspended due to flooding at Hwajeong Station. The Gyoe Line, which connects Goyang City and Uijeongbu City, has suspended all train operations for the day.
The city has activated Emergency Level 2 of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. More than 2,000 city employees (excluding essential personnel), including staff from the local administrative welfare centers, have been deployed across all 44 districts to strengthen on-site inspections. The city has preemptively closed a total of 216 locations, including riverside walkways, and is inspecting 26 underpasses. Emergency measures such as urgent cleaning of storm drains are also being implemented to prevent further flooding damage.
Mayor Lee Donghwan, who is overseeing the situation from the disaster response center, stated, "In situations like today, when a large amount of rain falls in a short period, it is impossible to predict when and where damage may occur. Therefore, we must remain vigilant and thoroughly prepared at all times." He also urged, "Please restore the affected areas quickly to minimize inconvenience for citizens."
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