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Emergency repair work underway on a Tongyeong road buried by landslide debris. / Tongyeong City

Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province has launched an emergency fundraising campaign through the "Hometown Love Donation" system after record-breaking rainfall of more than 700mm over three days triggered landslides and flooding across the city.

According to Gonggam Manse, which operates "Wegive," a private platform for the hometown donation program, an emergency donation fund to support Tongyeong residents affected by the heavy rain was launched on the 15th.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Tongyeong received more than 700mm of rain from the 15th through the 17th. Over a one-hour period starting at 5:11 a.m. that day, 97.4mm fell, setting a new record for the highest hourly rainfall on record.

The heavy rain caused damage across Tongyeong. In Gonri Island, Sanyang-eup, a landslide buried a house in debris, temporarily trapping one resident who was later rescued by the coast guard. Along the coast in Sanyang-eup, seawater overflowed and pushed a boat onto the road, while in Pyeongnim-dong, debris blocked a roadway. The rear gate and parking lot of Tongyeong Middle School were also submerged. The heavy rain forced the temporary evacuation of 17 people from 13 households in Tongyeong.

Donations collected through this emergency fundraiser will go toward emergency relief for flood victims, stabilizing affected residents' livelihoods, and local recovery efforts. Anyone not registered as a Tongyeong resident can participate, and donations up to 100,000 won qualify for a full tax credit. Donors also receive a gift in return, valued at up to 30% of their donation amount. Donations can be made through the Wegive platform.

A Gonggam Manse official said, "We urgently launched this fundraiser to support Tongyeong residents affected by the heavy rain over the holiday," adding, "Wegive will continue the fundraising drive to help affected residents return to normal life as quickly as possible, and will keep donors updated on the situation in Tongyeong."

                                                                                                         Kim Nam-hyung