The government on the 13th announced a comprehensive winter natural disaster plan to prepare for heavy snow and cold waves this year. The Korea meteorological Administration said winter temperatures will be generally similar to normal, but some regions are expected to see heavy snowfall.
Accordingly, the government will operate a heavy snow and cold wave response period from the 15th of this month to Mar. 15 next year. For the first time during this period, it plans to send heavy snow disaster text alerts based on real-time weather conditions and voice message (VMS) risk alerts to disaster managers. It also plans to refine the categories of those vulnerable to cold waves and strengthen tailored safety management.
◇ Advance preparations for collapse damage due to snow accumulation… 10 billion won preemptively paid to local governments
The government said it has prepared advance measures during the response period in light of intensifying abnormal weather and cases of collapse damage caused by snow accumulation.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety on Oct. 29 preemptively paid 10 billion won in heavy snow disaster response funds to 17 cities and provinces for purchasing de-icing agents and snow removal equipment. In addition, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and local governments secured a total of 1.16 million tons of de-icing agents. By adding 290,000 tons by February next year, they plan to increase reserves to 116% of last year's usage.
The government also designated 8,761 areas of disaster concern, an increase of 696 from the previous year. It will focus on managing structures vulnerable to snow accumulation that suffered major damage last winter, such as traditional market arcades, vinyl greenhouses, and livestock sheds. During hazardous weather, it will implement priority controls and resident evacuations and push to improve snow load design standards.
Measures were also prepared for rapid response to abnormal weather. Forecasts for heavy, wet snow will be expanded nationwide, and to monitor real-time weather, the disaster prevention weather platform will shorten the display cycle for snow depth observations from the current 1 hour to 10-minute intervals. In the Seoul metropolitan area, South Chungcheong, and North Jeolla, it plans to pilot safety alert texts at the city, county, and district level based on real-time conditions such as snowfall intensity and snow accumulation.
To prepare for snow removal and isolation situations, a cooperative network of special large rescue trucks for high-difficulty recoveries, such as ultra-heavy cargo trucks, has also been established. Through 176 companies, large rescue trucks will be pre-positioned at sites when special weather advisories are issued.
◇ Senior centers, welfare centers, and libraries to be used as cold wave shelters… tailored safety management to be implemented
The government said it has completed pre-inspections for cold waves this winter. From Oct. 27 to the 12th of this month, it checked the accuracy of cold wave shelter locations and whether signboards were in place. It also provided 5 billion won in cold wave response funds to local governments.
Those vulnerable to cold waves will be subdivided into 10 types across three sectors for management. These are: ▲ physical (vulnerable seniors, people with disabilities, people with underlying conditions) ▲ economic (benefit recipients, housing vulnerable, homeless) ▲ social (farmers and fishers, business sites workers, mobile workers, outdoor activity participants). Previously, management focused on seniors, residents of tiny rooms, and the homeless.
Through this, for seniors and others, during special weather advisories, life support workers will check in daily by phone or in person. It will also provide cold-weather items and 400,000 won per month in heating costs to senior centers. For low-income households, it will support heating costs such as gas and electricity through energy vouchers and implement housing environment improvements such as boiler replacement. For business sites workers and others to ensure a safe work environment, it will frequently inspect heating facilities and compliance with safety rules and operate separate shelters.
Various types of facilities, including existing senior centers, Community Service Centers, libraries, and shelters for mobile workers, will be operated as cold wave shelters. Local governments will provide accurate information such as the locations of cold wave shelters and, during cold wave advisories, allow extended operations at night and on weekends.
Yoon Ho-jung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), said, "So that people can spend the coming winter safely and warmly, we will focus management on areas and facilities vulnerable to winter natural disasters, taking into account weather conditions that go beyond forecasts," and added, "Together with local governments, we will carefully and meticulously push tailored safety management for seniors vulnerable to cold waves, low-income households, and others."