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Disaster agency raises warning alert to top tier as rains cause flooding

Published: 17 Jul. 2025, 16:57

A river running in Sejong is on the verge of overflowing on the morning of July 17 as heavy rain pounds the area. [YONHAP]

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) on Thursday escalated its weather crisis warning to the highest level on Thursday afternoon, as relentless rains continued to pound the country, triggering deadly floods and mass evacuations.

At around 3 p.m., the CDSCH activated Level 3 — the top tier — of its emergency response system, marking the first such escalation since 2023. The move came during an emergency meeting convened to coordinate the nationwide response.

With the highest alert now in place, the government is throwing its full weight behind the crisis response.

Police forces, equipment and field situation officers from all ministries and agencies have been mobilized. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety is dispatching directors and deputy directors to flood-hit areas to improve coordination between central and local governments.

The government’s immediate priorities are swift containment and pre-emptive evacuations, as an additional 300 millimeters (11.8 inches) of rain is forecast through Sunday — on top of the 300 to 400 millimeters already recorded.

Local governments are being urged to exercise their authority to issue evacuation orders in areas facing severe rainfall. To ensure rapid action, the central government has pledged to cover all associated costs for evacuations and resident protection.

“The government will mobilize all available resources to respond to the heavy rain,” said Kim Min-jae, head of the CDSCH and acting interior minister. He urged the public to stay indoors, avoid riversides and low-lying areas and steer clear of regions at risk of landslides.

The Level 3 alert has been issued only twice in recent years — once in 2022 and once in 2023 — both in response to typhoons and extreme rains.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]