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Cars kick up sprays of water as they drive along a waterlogged road in Gwangcheon-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju-Jeonnam Integrated Special City, on the 30th. / Yonhap News

The South Korean government activated Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters as heavy rain warnings were issued across regions including Gwangju-Jeonnam, Ulsan, Jeonbuk, and Gyeongbuk. Authorities decided to preemptively restrict access to high-risk zones such as underpasses and riverbanks, and to carry out resident evacuations if necessary, in preparation for potentially heavy downpours concentrated during the night.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it raised the heavy rain disaster crisis alert from "Interest" to "Caution" and activated Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters starting at 5 p.m. on the 30th.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung, who heads the headquarters, instructed relevant agencies and local governments to maintain rigorous real-time situational management, noting that localized heavy downpours accompanied by thunder and gusty winds are expected across the country.

In particular, given that areas recently hit by torrential rain or wildfires could suffer additional damage even from small amounts of rainfall, officials were ordered to conduct intensive inspections of landslide-prone areas, steep slopes, retaining walls, and embankments.

To prevent urban flooding, drainage facilities—including drainage pumps, catch basins, storm sewer conduits, and drainage ditches—are also being checked and maintained continuously. In areas of high casualty risk, such as underpasses, riverbanks, valleys, and campgrounds, on-site conditions must be assessed to block entry in advance whenever danger is anticipated.

Authorities are also preparing for potential flooding in low-lying coastal areas caused by high tides coinciding with concentrated downpours. If resident safety is threatened, resident evacuation support teams will be deployed immediately to evacuate vulnerable populations to safe shelters, followed by relief operations and sustained safety management.

With heavy precipitation expected to peak overnight, the government plans to broadcast weather alerts and safety action guidelines regarding torrential rain and lightning strikes via emergency disaster text messages and village public address systems.

Minister Yoon urged the public, saying, "As precipitation is forecast during the weekend and overnight hours, please check weather updates frequently and refrain from approaching hazardous areas such as streams and valleys," adding, "We ask for your active cooperation with disaster information, access controls, and evacuation instructions."

                                                                                                          Kim Nam-hyung