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Coast Guard delivers water to Gangneung as Obong Reservoir drops to 13.9%

Published: 04 Sep. 2025, 12:59 Updated: 04 Sep. 2025, 16:51

The 5,000-ton Coast Guard patrol vessel Sambong 5001, which guards the East Sea, including the Dokdo islets, supplies 600 tons of water to fire trucks at the unloading pier of Anin Thermal Power Plant in Gangneung, Gangwon, on Sept. 3. [YONHAP]

A worsening drought in Gangneung, Gangwon, has pushed reservoir levels down to 13.8 percent, prompting the government to send large Korea Coast Guard vessels that normally patrol the Dokdo islets to deliver emergency water supplies.

The level of the Obong Reservoir, which supplies daily water to about 80,000 residents of Gangneung, fell to 13.9 percent on Wednesday afternoon, down 0.3 percentage points from Tuesday, and then slipped again to 13.8 percent, the Korea Rural Community Corporation said on tion said.

Gangneung has received just 388.9 millimeters (15 inches) of rain over the past six months, less than half the normal amount and fueling the crisis.

The city on Monday began restricting household water by locking 75 percent of residential meters. Authorities also closed 47 public restrooms, three swimming pools and two youth centers while prioritizing bottled water deliveries to schools and welfare facilities.

The Korea Coast Guard Region-East dispatched the 5,000-ton Sambong 5001 patrol vessel, which usually guards the Dokdo islets, to carry 600 tons of water — equivalent to the load of 50 fire trucks — to the Gangneung Anin Thermal Power Plant pier in Gangneung. The Coast Guard plans to send additional 1,500-ton and 3,000-ton ships by Tuesday to supply another 150 to 300 tons.

"The city would do its best to ensure that all residents share water fairly,” Gangneung Mayor Kim Hong-gyu said.

Bottled water donations from across the country have reached 3,615 tons, or about 1.99 million bottles, which will be distributed starting Thursday by township and neighborhood offices. Staff will deliver directly to older adults and disabled individuals unable to collect water themselves.

But reservoir levels continue to plummet. Authorities have already cut off all agricultural water supplies and warned they may resort to timed or alternate-day rationing if the drought worsens further.

The shortages have spread into daily life. Some shops at Gangneung Jungang Market have posted notices saying they are closed "due to drought."

Hotels have suspended the operation of swimming pools and saunas while some restaurants have shortened their business hours and begun batching dishwashing to conserve water.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]