The national fire mobilization order issued for the South Gyeongsang Province region, which has been suffering from a drought, has been extended. Even military units have been mobilized to make an all-out effort to support water supplies.
Reporter Kim Su-yun has the story.
Yesterday (the 13th), the second day of the national fire mobilization order, 200 fire engines gathered from across the country supplied more than 7,600 tons of water to fields and farms throughout South Gyeongsang Province.
Some 20 vehicles from the South Gyeongsang Fire Headquarters also joined in providing water supply support.
In Haman, the Army deployed 15 water supply vehicles and about 40 troops to help resolve the drought.
[Choi Sung-sik / Commander, Hapcheon-Haman-Uiryeong Battalion, Army 39th Infantry Division: These are vehicles used for military operations and chemical, biological, and radiological support during wartime. Water supply vehicles have been deployed to support civilians.]
As water gushed like a waterfall into the dry irrigation ditches, farmers could not take their eyes off the sight.
[Jung Chang-baek / Haman-gun, South Gyeongsang Province: Water has been gushing out for about 15 days now. It feels like my clogged chest is finally open.]
However, water shortages are worsening due to the prolonged drought.
Yesterday, as Hamyang entered the "Attention" stage for agricultural water drought, the entire South Gyeongsang Province entered drought alert levels.
Uiryeong and Changnyeong, which were previously at the "Caution" stage, were upgraded to the "Serious" stage, bringing the number of "Serious" regions to five.
The average reservoir water storage rate in South Gyeongsang Province remains at 32.8%.
Requests for water supply support are also pouring in for livestock sheds.
More than 20,000 pigs live in the livestock shed visible next to me.
As drinking water for these pigs became scarce, firefighters who completed strict quarantine procedures stepped in to provide water support.
[Kang Byung-su / Firefighter, Prevention Division, Yangsan Fire Station: We mostly provide water support to places like fields and farms, and it seems rare for livestock sheds, but coming out to the site, the amount of water needed is huge and the situation seems more serious than expected.]
Consequently, the National Fire Agency decided to extend the national fire mobilization order, which was originally set to end yesterday, for the time being.
The Navy, Air Force, and Korea Forest Service also plan to join in providing water support soon.
The fire authorities plan to decide whether to lift the national fire mobilization order by monitoring precipitation and reservoir water rates once the drought situation improves.
(Video by Jung Kyeong-moon)
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