Home > National > Social Affairs

All-out efforts underway to supply water to drought-hit Gangneung

Published: 07 Sep. 2025, 15:00

As a severe drought continues, water trucks line up to draw water from a stream in Gangneung, Gangwon, on Sept. 7. [YONHAP]

All-out efforts were underway Sunday to supply water to the drought-hit eastern coastal city of Gangneung, Gangwon, officials said, as it struggles with worsening water shortages.

Helicopters, fire trucks and a Navy vessel were set to be dispatched to supply 29,793 tons of water to Obong Reservoir, the city's main water source, and the Hongje water purification plant for the day, according to city and provincial officials.

The government declared Gangneung's drought a state of disaster on Aug. 30 after the water storage level of the reservoir, which supplies household water to 180,000 Gangneung residents, fell to a record low of 15.7 percent.

Despite efforts to replenish the supply, the reservoir has experienced declining water levels, reaching 12.6 percent as of 11 a.m. Sunday, down 0.3 percentage points from the previous day.

Officials said around 400 military vehicles, two Coast Guard and Navy vessels, five Army helicopters and dozens of civilian vehicles will be dispatched Sunday as part of efforts to supply water to the city.

On Saturday, the city began limiting the supply to major water users that operate water tanks of over 100 tons, including 113 residential complexes of some 45,000 households and 10 large-scale accommodation facilities.

The city plans to deliver water using water trucks once the tanks run out.

If the reservoir's water level falls below 10 percent, the city plans to take further water conservation measures for the Hongje plant, which covers 53,483 water meters.

Under the first stage of the plan, water will be restricted from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., while the next stage would see supply halted every other day.

Yonhap