Gangneung: President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday declared the eastern town of Gangneung, affected by a severe drought, as a state of national disaster, according to the presidential office.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Lee instructed relevant ministries to immediately declare a state of disaster, as reported by presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung in a written briefing. Earlier, Lee led a drought response meeting in Gangneung, located in Gangwon Province, where residents are currently experiencing water supply restrictions due to the drought.
On Friday, Gangwon Province formally requested the central government to declare Gangneung a disaster area, citing worsening conditions. In response, Lee issued a firefighting mobilization order to assist the drought-affected areas in Gangneung.
Kang stated that 50 fire department water tankers will be deployed to the area, with plans to supply an additional 2,000 tons of water daily. Lee instructed the government to mobilize all available resources to minimize the impact of the drought and reduce inconvenience for residents.
Over the past six months, Gangneung has received only half of its average rainfall, with the water level at the region's main residential water supply source dropping to a record low of 15.7 percent as of Friday. A disaster declaration allows the government to mobilize necessary personnel, equipment, and supplies in response to such emergencies.