Some residents were rescued due to the collapse of the Seomjin River embankment due to the torrential rain that poured for two days, and about 300 people nearby were evacuated by emergency evacuation before the collapse.

According to the Jeonbuk Fire Department and the Iksan Regional Construction Management Office on the 8th, the Seomjin River embankment collapsed near Geumgok Bridge in Gwisuk-ri, Ban-myeon, Namwon-si at 12:50 on the day.

The Iksan Regional Construction Management Administration estimated the range of the embankment collapse to be 50-100m.

It is explained that the exact damage range cannot be determined because the situation is not accessible to the site.

About 300 residents of four villages in Banan-myeon were evacuated to the Cultural Nuri Center next to the Ban-myeon office, which is an evacuation facility, as the water level of the Seomjin River increased this morning.

There is no human injury due to the collapse of the embankment, and the Iksan National Territory Management Administration reported that the surrounding agricultural land and about 70 households in the village were inundated.

The fire department has issued a second phase of response at 1:30 pm that day and is responding to the accident.

The response stage is divided into 1 to 3 stages, and the 2nd stage of response is a warning order that mobilizes personnel and equipment from 5 to 6 fire departments at the competent fire station and adjacent fire stations.

Water from the collapsed Seomjin River embankment pushed into Yocheon in downtown Namwon, and the fire department rescued 25 residents who were unable to evacuate.

As water suddenly increased in the city, residents evacuated to the rooftops of Buryaburya buildings and town halls, and the fire department moved the city center, which turned into water, by boat to move the isolated residents to a safe place.

There are currently more residents waiting for rescue, but the situation is not known to be urgent.

When water runs out in the city center, the fire department plans to mobilize equipment such as pump vehicles to start drainage.

The Iksan National Land Management Office is also planning to initiate emergency recovery when the rain stops and the water level of the Seomjin River drops to normal.

It was judged that recovery was difficult because there was a risk of being swept away by rapids in a rainy situation.

The Iksan National Territory Management Office believes that the Seomjin River embankment, which was made of soil, was weakened and collapsed without overcoming the torrential downpour.

An official from the Iksan Land Management Office said, "At the present site, employees are grasping the situation," and "We will notify the exact situation as soon as it becomes known."

(Photo = Courtesy of Jeonbuk Fire Department, Namwon City, Yonhap News)