Interior ministry allocates 231 billion won for August heavy rain recovery

The interior ministry said Wednesday it will inject 231 billion won to repair damage caused by heavy rains that struck South Korea from August 15 to 18. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters finalized damages, committing to cover both private losses and public infrastructure repairs.

Of the total, 21.3 billion won is designated as disaster relief grants for private facilities, while 210 billion won will fund the restoration of public assets. The storms centered on Geoje and Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province, affecting 22 municipalities across seven regions, resulting in one death, two injuries and the flooding of 1,396 homes.

To ensure victims receive support before the Chuseok holiday, the ministry has already distributed an initial 6.6 billion won in national funds to the specially declared disaster zones of Geoje and Tongyeong. Households with flooded homes are eligible for 3.5 million won per unit, with additional compensation based on the extent of agricultural and forestry damage.

While most public facilities will be restored to their original state, the government plans to spend 61.3 billion won on improvement projects for four small rivers in the hardest-hit areas. An additional 6 billion won has been allocated to repair electrical substations damaged by inundation.

"We plan to quickly deliver national subsidies so that victims can face the Chuseok holiday with some comfort," Interior Minister Yoon Ho-joong said, adding that fundamental recovery measures for large-scale damaged facilities will proceed without delay.