Minimizing damage from heavy rains

Heavy rains pounded the country`s central region Wednesday, including the Seoul metropolitan area, causing floods and mudslides. A landslide occurred near the Choansan Station construction site in northern Seoul`s Nowon district, burying a number of passing vehicles. One person was reported killed and three wounded. When the site will be fully recovered remains unknown. The accident occurred because of lack of flood defense measures.

In Seoul, the northern section of Gyeonggi Province and South Chungcheong Province, vacationers went missing while homes, roads and farmland were flooded with water. The water level of rivers and streams is rising. Further damage is likely since up to 200 millimeters of rain were projected to fall until midnight. Civil servants should check vulnerable sites and devise proper flood control measures to prevent further loss of life and property. Regions where low-income people live are more vulnerable to flood damage, meaning devising measures for rainy season, floods and typhoon are crucial to stabilize the living conditions of these income groups.

More care should go into the four-river restoration construction sites as well as places where cows and pigs afflicted with foot-and-mouth disease were buried. With dredging and barrier installation works for the four-river restoration in their final stages, an additional shock from heavy rains can disrupt the project. The Waegwan Railroad Bridge in North Gyeongsang Province collapsed Saturday, an accident that adversely affected the restoration work. The dredges had dug deeper than planned and the piers supporting the bridge were improperly installed.

Places where cows and pigs afflicted with foot-and-mouth disease were buried are also causing fear. Due to heavy rains, Gyeonggi Province put 2,100 employees in charge of the buried sites and emergency breakdown gang on alert. Early this month, The Dong-A Ilbo examined burial sites nationwide and found that animal burial and draining work were not done properly. Municipal and provincial governments should thoroughly examine these places to minimize the impact of torrential rains.

Natural disasters are growing more frequent across the world. The government will gain the people`s trust only when it prevents disasters caused by torrential rains and efficiently protect residents and facilities.