National Fire Mobilization Order Issued After Torrential Rains in Geoje and Tongyeong: 136 Rescued, 1 Dead

1,947 Reports of Rain-Related Incidents; Three People Injured
387 Firefighters and 84 Units of Equipment Deployed for Drainage and Recovery Operations

As torrential rains pounded Geoje and Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province, resulting in widespread flooding and landslides, the fire authorities issued a National Fire Mobilization Order and deployed all available firefighting resources.

According to the National Fire Agency on August 17, as of the morning, the agency had received a total of 1,947 reports related to the heavy rains in the two regions of Geoje and Tongyeong. Of these, 20 incidents required life-saving rescues, and the fire department managed to rescue a total of 136 people.

On the morning of the 17th, soil from a landslide flowed into an apartment building in Okpo-dong, Geoje-si, Gyeongnam, damaging furniture and facilities inside the building. Photo by Yonhap News

By region, Geoje accounted for 1,634 emergency calls, leading to 126 people being rescued across nine rescue operations. In Tongyeong, 313 calls resulted in 11 rescue operations, with 10 people being rescued.

There were also casualties. In Okpo-dong, Geoje, one person lost their life and two others were injured after soil from a landslide collapsed onto a residential area. In Gonri-ri, Tongyeong, another person sustained minor injuries as a result of a landslide. As a result, this heavy rain event has so far led to four casualties: one death and three injuries.

The National Fire Agency organized an Emergency Response Team at 2:40 a.m. and, under the direction of the acting commissioner, held three situation assessment meetings, establishing a policy to prioritize life-saving efforts. The agency then issued the National Fire Mobilization Order twice, at 6:23 a.m. and 6:35 a.m., concentrating firefighting personnel and resources in the affected areas.

In total, 387 personnel have been deployed so far, comprising 361 from South Gyeongsang Fire Services and 26 from other regions, along with 84 equipment units. The Central 119 Rescue Headquarters supplemented this with an additional 47 personnel and 13 equipment units.

With simultaneous flooding of roads and homes, as well as landslides, rescue boats and high-capacity water spraying systems from the Central 119 Rescue Headquarters were dispatched to the scene. In addition, 10 rough-terrain pump trucks from Busan, Daegu, North Gyeongsang, and Changwon provided emergency support. At the scene of a flooded underground parking lot in a commercial building in Jangseungpo-dong, Geoje, preparations are underway for water extraction using a high-capacity water spraying system.

Field situation managers, including the Chief of the 119 Response Bureau, have also been dispatched to Geoje and Tongyeong, where they are coordinating on-site operations in collaboration with the South Gyeongsang Emergency Rescue Control Headquarters and other relevant agencies.

The South Gyeongsang Emergency Rescue Control Headquarters has requested additional road restoration equipment such as excavators and pumps for Geoje City. They have also requested power restoration from Korea Electric Power Corporation and road control from the police in damaged areas, actively pursuing agency cooperation in the disaster response.

Currently, about 30 excavators are working on removing soil and debris in Geoje. Police, local governments, the military, Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Korea Electric Power Corporation are also providing additional personnel to support recovery and safety management efforts.

The National Fire Agency has announced that, even after life-saving operations are completed, it will continue drainage, recovery support, and on-site safety measures to prevent secondary damage from additional rains, such as landslides and flooding.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.