"Evacuate at the First Sign of Flooding"... Hesitation Can Be Fatal

[Anchor]

During periods of heavy rain like we are seeing lately, underground spaces are the most dangerous places to be. Experts warn that even if water only reaches knee-height, it becomes extremely difficult to escape, so you must evacuate immediately without hesitation.

Morning Zoom-in, this is reporter Dong Eunyeong.

[Reporter]

Four years ago, when Typhoon Hinnamnor struck, a river overflowed and flooded an apartment underground parking lot in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, claiming seven lives.

The victims were residents who had gone down to move their cars after hearing news of the flooding.

That same summer, in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, a woman in her 40s and her teenage daughter lost their lives after failing to escape their semi-basement home in time.

Over the past decade, approximately 20% of deaths and disappearances caused by storm and flood damage have been due to the flooding of underground spaces.

[Gong Ha-seong / Professor of Fire and Disaster Prevention, Woosuk University: People often try to evacuate through the same path where the water is entering, but the water is rushing in with such force that it becomes impossible.]

Our team conducted a simulation of a flooding scenario.

The water is currently at about 50cm, reaching my knees.

No matter how hard I push, the door will not open.

Even when an adult male pushes against it, the door only budges slightly but remains firmly shut.

[Kim Hak-soo / Team Leader, Urban Flood Research Team at the National Disaster Management Research Institute: When water reaches just 50cm, it creates an effect similar to having a 110kg boulder pressing against the door from the outside. The door becomes so heavy that it cannot be opened.]

Because it becomes impossible to open a closed door and escape once the water reaches knee-height, you must evacuate the moment you see any signs of rising water.

When climbing stairs where muddy water is pouring in, you must hold onto the handrails firmly with both hands.

It is better to be barefoot than to wear rain boots, which make it difficult to lift your feet as water continues to rush in, or dress shoes, which can be slippery.

[Choi Yeon-woo / Operations Team Leader, Boramae Safety Experience Center: Since you usually cannot see the stairs due to the sediment, lifting your feet too high can cause you to fall backward due to the water pressure. You should keep your feet as close to the floor as possible.]

In underground parking lots and underpasses, it is best to abandon your vehicle as soon as water begins to rise.

Even if the water only reaches half the height of the tires, the water pressure can trap you inside the vehicle.

If you are late to evacuate and become trapped inside a car, you should open or break the windows. In the case of an SUV, you should open the trunk to secure an escape route.

(Video reporting: Kim Seung-tae | Video editing: Kim Jong-tae | Graphics: Jang Chae-woo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.