Record Floods in Geoje: Residents Strive to Rebuild with Volunteers' Help

In Geoje, South Korea, residents are working tirelessly to recover from devastating rainfall that brought record-breaking downpours and triggered destructive landslides. Volunteers have flocked to the city, offering crucial assistance as citizens grapple with the aftermath of the deluge.

One apartment complex in Okpo-dong was hit by a landslide, resulting in one fatality and two injuries. The torrent of mud and debris reached the building's entrance, burying parked cars and causing extensive damage. Residents of the affected building were evacuated to nearby schools, with many finding temporary shelter in gymnasiums.

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If you go to the community center, they will tell you where help is needed. They also lend out necessary tools like shovels and brooms.

Volunteers, including YouTubers and community members, are actively involved in clearing mud and debris from homes and businesses. Kim Yong-guk, a YouTuber who arrived early on August 18 with a team of eight, described the urgent need for help in flood-affected areas. He and his team were seen cleaning a photo studio inundated with water and mud, planning to continue their volunteer work and document the recovery efforts.

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My store was completely destroyed by the flood early on the 17th. Water rose to chest height. I didn't know what to do, but these people came and helped.

Psychological support is also being provided to the displaced residents. Staff from the Korean Red Cross's Disaster Psychological Recovery Support Center are offering counseling and stabilization techniques to those traumatized by the event. Over 100 residents have already received assistance, with some expressing deep distress, difficulty sleeping, and inability to access essential medication.

Engineers are assessing the stability of the hillside where the landslide occurred. Initial assessments suggest the slope, characterized by a thin layer of soil over bedrock, failed due to the intense rainfall. Recommendations include reinforcement work to prevent further landslides. While residents of unaffected buildings may return once cleanup is complete, those directly impacted by the landslide will require detailed safety evaluations before re-entry.

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The hillside where the landslide occurred had a thin layer of soil on steep bedrock. It is presumed that the soil separated from the bedrock due to the heavy rain in a short period, causing the landslide.