Bracing for Floods

[Anchor Lead]

As the monsoon rain front continues to move northward, the Korean Peninsula is going to see more rain for the time being. Meanwhile, South Koreans living near the border in Gyeonggi-do Province are anxiously monitoring the situation, as North Korea may release water from its Hwanggang Dam and flood the downstream area in South Korea.

[Pkg]

Heavy rain is falling on the Imjin-gang River's Gunnam Dam, located just 50 kilometers away from Hwanggang Dam in North Korea. Torrential rain pummeled the vicinity of the Imjin River overnight, especially the river's upstream area in the North where Hwanggang Dam is located. This has raised the water level to the dam's maximum capacity, making it increasingly likely that Hwanggang Dam will discharge its water. To brace against flooding, South Korea's water resources corporation K-water is letting the river water flow out, essentially emptying out Gunnam Dam. The current water level at Gunnam Dam remains at the minimum level of 24 meters. Judging from the current water level, K-water and the South Korean military believe that the North Korean dam hasn't opened its sluices yet. Nonetheless, authorities are keeping a close watch on Hwanggang Dam's situation, as the water from the North Korean dam takes only about 30 minutes to reach Gunnam Dam downstream. As North Korea may suddenly discharge water without warning, K-water asked travelers to stay away from the Imjin-gang River area even when the rain lets up temporarily.