First responders help evacuate a stranded person in Geoje, South Gyeongsang, on Aug. 17.GYEONGSANGNAM-DO FIRE DEPARTMENT
Homes and vehicles were flooded and landslides struck parts of Geoje, South Gyeongsang, as torrential rain pounded the city early Monday.
High tide compounded the damage and left residents stranded in several areas. Fire authorities raised their emergency response to Level 2 of its three-tier system and launched rescue operations.
The Geoje Fire Station issued a Level 1 emergency response at 1:10 a.m. Monday, before raisingit to Level 2 at 6:18 a.m., according to the National Fire Agency. The measure came in response to worsening flooding and a surge in emergency calls as heavy rain coincided with high tide.
Firefighters evacuated about 100 residents from Yesol Village in Aju-dong to safer areas and rescued and evacuated about 30 stranded residents in Hoejin Village in Irun-myeon.
Rescue and safety operations are also underway in Dundeok-myeon, Sadeung-myeon, Jangpyeong-dong, Geoje-myeon and Gohyeon-dong, where homes and vehicles have been flooded and landslides have occurred.
About 180 emergency personnel are currently deployed to the affected areas, led by the Geoje Fire Station and supported by the Gyeongsangnam-do Fire Department's special rescue unit as well as fire stations in nearby municipalities, including Tongyeong, Jinju and Goseong,all in South Gyeongsang.
Firefighters rescue a resident whose feet became trapped in mud and debris washed down by torrential rain in Geoje, South Gyeongsang, on Aug. 17.GYEONGSANGNAM-DO FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Geoje Fire Station and the provincial fire department have operated control units for emergency rescue missions.
The National Fire Agency has also dispatched special rescue teams from the National 119 Rescue Headquarters covering Gyeongsang and Jeolla as well as a hazmat response team from Ulsan.
Specialized equipment, including a high-capacity water pumping system to help drain flooded areas, has also been dispatched to the scene. The state agency has been operating an emergency response team since 2:40 a.m.
The Tongyeong Fire Station in neighboring Tongyeong has activated an emergency rescue control unit in response to the torrential rain.
Under the coordination of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the National Fire Agency is working with other government agencies to prepare for further damage, with authorities sharing real-time updates on weather conditions and damage. The agencies include the National Police Agency, the Ministry of National Defense, the Korea Meteorological Administration and the Korea Forest Service.
A flooded road in Geoje, South Gyeongsang, on Aug. 17YONHAP
The Interior Ministry activated Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at 6 a.m. Monday after heavy rain warnings were issued for Busan, South Gyeongsang and Jeju.
"We will mobilize every available resource together with the relevant agencies to protect people's lives until the rain stops and recovery efforts are completed," said Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung, who helms the disaster safety headquarters. "We also ask the public to check safety alerts regularly and avoid entering hazardous areas."
Heavy rain warnings are currently in effect for Busan and Jeju, as well as Tongyeong, Geoje, Goseong, Sacheon and Namhae in South Gyeongsang. Heavy rain advisories have been issued for Ulsan and the South Gyeongsang cities and counties of Sancheong, Jinju, Yangsan, Gimhae, Miryang, Changwon and Hadong.
BY KIM MIN-WOOK [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
