Emergency Declared in Southern Jeollanam-do Amid Heavy Snowfall... Haenam and Wando Mobilize Full-Scale Snow Removal Efforts

Haenam Records an Average of 7.8 cm Snowfall, 14.8 cm in Sani-myeon
Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters Declares Emergency Level 2
Wando Faces Double Hardship of Strong Winds and Heavy Snow, Increasing Resident Inconvenience

As heavy snowfall hit the southern region of Jeollanam-do, Haenam County and Wando County have entered an emergency response system, focusing all efforts on snow removal and ensuring the safety of residents.

According to Haenam County on January 11, as of 11 a.m. that day, the average accumulated snowfall in the county measured 7.8 centimeters, due to snow that began falling the previous night. By region, Sani-myeon recorded 14.8 centimeters, Hwawon-myeon 12 centimeters, and Masan-myeon 11 centimeters, with significant snowfall in some areas.

Haenam County Office employees are giving up their holidays to carry out snow removal work for the safety of the residents. Provided by Haenam County

At 10:50 a.m. on January 11, Haenam County declared Emergency Level 2 at the Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters and activated an emergency work system involving half of all staff from departments and townships. Previously, the county had issued Emergency Level 1 at midnight on January 10, and from 4:30 a.m. on January 11, deployed 54 personnel, including township officials and road maintenance teams, to begin full-scale snow removal operations.

Currently, snow removal on major arterial roads and township roads is mostly complete, and traffic flow is being maintained relatively smoothly.

The county significantly reduced initial response times by deploying an additional 15-ton snow removal vehicle, which was specially rented for the boundary sections of National Route 77 and Local Route 49 (Hwawon Guji to Sani Daldo), where snow removal delays occurred last year. In these sections, vehicle traffic is proceeding without any snow removal gaps. In addition, for steep sections where snow removal vehicles have difficulty accessing-such as Galdujae, Oshimjae, and Ddudeureokjae-remotely controlled brine spraying equipment is being operated to respond quickly.

Autonomous snow removal activities at the village level are also being carried out in parallel, using 25-kilogram bags of snow-melting agent distributed to each township. The smart road heating system installed on the slope near Koaru Apartments and Handum Daycare Center in Haenam-eup automatically activates during snowfall, removing snow and ice and effectively preventing slip accidents.

Heavy snowfall has poured down in the southern region of Jeollanam-do, prompting Haenam County and Wando County to enter an emergency response system. Photo by Haenam County

Haenam County is providing real-time updates on matters directly related to residents' safety, such as the suspension of Haenam Transportation services, through text messages and village broadcasts. In addition, around 300 people, including village guardians and the local disaster prevention corps, are supporting safety management throughout the villages.

Wando County is also facing a double hardship as both a strong wind advisory and heavy snowfall occur simultaneously. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, on January 11, the Wando area experienced ongoing snowfall with temperatures between minus 2 and minus 3 degrees Celsius from the morning, and humidity levels around 75 percent.

In particular, due to strong winds the previous day, all passenger ferry services to some island areas were completely suspended, causing significant inconvenience to the mobility and daily lives of island residents.

A local official stated, "We are minimizing inconvenience to residents through systematic snow removal measures," and added, "We will remain vigilant and do our utmost to prevent safety accidents through swift response during the remaining snowfall period."

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast that severe sub-zero cold would continue until the morning of January 12.