Gwangju Mayor Park Kwan-yeol emphasized on August 18 that the establishment of a flood prediction system will transition the focus from reactive measures to a proactive disaster prevention framework based on scientific data.
On this day, Mayor Park announced plans to implement a three-dimensional flood prediction system for 80 small rivers in the region, covering a total length of 116 kilometers.
In response to localized heavy rainfall due to climate change, Gwangju will be the first in the country to develop a flood prediction system at the small river level.
The total project cost is 700 million won, fully funded by the provincial government, according to Mayor Park.
He noted that the budget was finalized through the first supplementary budget in August, with the project set to begin in earnest in October.
The system will analyze river discharge and flooding scenarios based on hypothetical rainfall amounts and durations, using both two-dimensional and three-dimensional maps.
Importantly, this system will allow for the identification of potential flooding areas in advance, moving away from the previous approach of responding only after river levels rise.
As a result, it is expected that disaster response measures, such as evacuation guidance and traffic restrictions, can be implemented more swiftly and accurately in the event of heavy rainfall and weather alerts.
Local residents have expressed the need for a system that can quickly identify and inform them of risk areas to prepare for recurring river flooding and road inundation during heavy rains.
Citizens hope that instead of merely assessing the situation after rainfall, they will receive timely alerts about which areas are likely to flood based on rainfall amounts, aiding in evacuation and vehicle movement during actual disasters.
Mayor Park stated, “We will continue to do our utmost to protect the precious lives and property of Gwangju citizens through thorough river management.”
Furthermore, the mayor aims to establish a proactive disaster safety system that analyzes flooding risks for each small river in advance and enhances on-site response capabilities to safeguard citizens' lives and property.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.