Lee Jae-myung, the President of South Korea, stated on October 15 that the significant reduction in flood-related deaths this summer is largely due to the efforts of central and local government officials to minimize damage.
The President made these remarks while sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter) that cited media reports indicating that only one flood-related death was recorded this summer, the lowest in 11 years.
"I appreciate the officials who have worked hard to reduce disaster damage through preemptive inspections of drainage facilities and strengthening response systems, as well as bolstering personnel and organizations," he added, urging the public to encourage these efforts.
According to preliminary data released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, from May 15 to October 15, there was only one flood-related death, a 96% decrease from 25 deaths last year. This is the lowest number since there were no fatalities in 2015.
The ministry has focused on managing major types of casualties, such as landslides, river disasters, and underground flooding, and has introduced quantitative evacuation standards based on rainfall for the first time. It has also empowered local heads to issue evacuation orders and strengthened on-site response systems by expanding resident evacuation support teams and flood prevention facilities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.