South Korea declares disaster areas after record southern-coast floods

Record rainfall in South Korea's South Gyeongsang Province damaged homes, schools, roads, power and water systems after flooding and landslides. Geoje received 968.1 mm from Aug. 15 through Aug. 19, including 509.9 mm in six hours on Aug. 17 and 124.5 mm in one hour, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said.

On Aug. 21, the government designated all of Geoje and Tongyeong's Sanyang-eup and Bongpyeong-dong as special disaster areas. The declaration provides central funding for part of local recovery costs. Residents can receive relief grants, national and local tax-payment deferrals and lower public-utility charges, though designation does not change the grants.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety will speed emergency repairs to private and public facilities, assist people in temporary housing and work with local governments on administrative and financial aid, including disaster-relief payments. Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung called for "on-the-ground, government-wide support that residents can feel" and worker safety.

A one-stop center will combine facility repairs and financial assistance for merchants at Geoje's Gohyeon Market and other traditional markets and shopping districts damaged by flooding and debris flows. For farmers, the response includes rapid damage surveys, recovery payments, insurance payouts and supplies to curb pest and disease damage.

Repair work includes 27 locations on 11 rivers damaged by overflows, levee losses or embankment failures. Flooding suspended operations at a public wastewater-treatment facility in Geoje-myeon; incoming wastewater will undergo temporary primary settling before discharge while biological treatment is stabilized. Damage to power transmission and distribution facilities caused outages at 11 locations affecting 4,541 households. Water service is now flowing smoothly in affected areas after the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment sent water trucks and bottled water. A central joint survey team will conduct a detailed assessment before further special-disaster designations are considered.