Special disaster zone designation expanded to all of Tongyeong after torrential rain

The government has expanded South Korea’s special disaster zone designation to all of Tongyeong after torrential rain caused extensive damage across the city.

President Lee Jae-myung made the additional designation on Sept. 4 after a central government joint investigation. Kang Yoo-jung, a senior presidential spokesperson, said the decision covered damage caused by heavy rain that fell across southern regions from Aug. 15 to 18.

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The president additionally designated all of Tongyeong, where major damage occurred from torrential rain that fell in the southern regions from Aug. 15 to 18, as a special disaster zone after a central joint investigation.

The move follows the Aug. 21 designation of all of nearby Geoje, along with Tongyeong’s Sanyang-eup and Bongpyeong-dong, as special disaster zones. The latest decision brings the entire city of Tongyeong under the designation.

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Considering the scale of the damage, we substantially extended the damage reporting period and are accepting reports so that no damage is left uncounted.

Special disaster zone status provides extra national funding for recovery. Residents affected by the disaster can also receive deferrals for national and local tax payments, as well as reductions in public-service charges.

Kang said the government had substantially extended the period for reporting damage so that losses would not be left out of the assessment. She said the government would quickly establish and support recovery plans to help affected residents return to their daily lives.

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The government will quickly establish and support recovery plans so that affected residents can return to their daily lives as soon as possible.