Flood advisory on Hangang Bridge is first issued in nine years

A flood advisory was issued for the first time in nine years for Hangang Bridge in Seoul amid downpours throughout early Thursday as Soyang Dam on Wednesday discharged water for the first time in three years. Riverside parks along the Han River were closed with access control put in place. Roads in the capital city were partly inundated with floodwater while some traffic routes were closed.

The Han River Flood Control Office, an arm of the Environment Department, issued a flood advisory for Hangang Bridge as of 11 a.m. on Thursday. Paldang Dam discharged 18,000 tons of water by opening two more gates around 9 p.m, making 12 out of its 15 gates open. As of 1:20 p.m., the water level around Hangang Bridge rose to 8.45 meters, just below 8.5 meters, the alert level regarding the issuance of flood advisories. It was the first flood advisory issued for Hangang Bridge in nine years since July 28 in 2011.

As of 5:50 a.m. on Thursday, authorities issued a flood advisory for Daegok Bridge along Tancheon, a tributary of Seoul's Han River, around Segok-dong, Gangnam District, advising citizens who live near the Han River area to stay cautious to make sure that they do not see any damage from floods. 11 self-governing districts of the city are adjacent to the Han River – Yongsan, Gwangjin, Mapo, Gangseo, Yeongdeungpo, Gangnam, Songpa, Gangdong Districts and others.

As discharge flow increased from Paldang Dam early Thursday, the water levels of the Han River spiked up suddenly. As Banpo Hangang Park was completely inundated with floodwater early in the morning, public access was prohibited to a total of 11 riverside parks including Gwangnaru, Jamsil, Yeouido and Gangseo parks.

Seoul’s Han River authorities said that it is dangerous to visit riverside areas during downpours, advising citizens to wait until recovery works are done on riverside parks, even after water levels go back to low in better weather conditions.

Traffic flows were partly restricted in the inner city area of Seoul. The routes on both directions between Seongdong Junction to Majang Ramp on Naebu Expressway and between Seongsu Junction and Gunjagyo on Dongbu Expressway were closed around 2 a.m. Following are the restricted routes and roads after 3 a.m. - the routes on both directions between Hangang Bridge and Mapo Bridge on Gangbyeon Expressway, all the routes on Dongbu Expressway, Yeongdong 1 Bridge and underpasses on Yangjaecheon Road, roads under Jeungsan Bridge and all the routes between Nodeul-gil Noryangjin Fish Market and Nodeul Overpass.


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