26,000 Tons Poured, But Still Not Enough... Drought Scars Persist

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Fire trucks have been pouring water onto fields and paddies in South Gyeongsang Province for three days straight, but it is far from enough to alleviate the severe drought. Farmers are earnestly hoping for sufficient rainfall during the Liberation Day holiday.

Reporter Kim Su-yun has the details.

[Reporter]

Amid scorching heat soaring up to 34°C (93°F) in broad daylight.

Firefighters have been traveling across paddies and fields in five areas under "severe" drought alerts in South Gyeongsang Province, including Miryang, supplying 7,200 tons of agricultural water.

[Jang Min-ho / Firefighter, Yongin Fire Station, Gyeonggi Fire Headquarters: Even if the (National Fire Mobilization Order) is extended, I hope residents can return to normal lives even a day earlier....]

The water sprayed from fire trucks is truly a welcome relief amid the drought.

[Ryu Jeong-man / Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province: We are especially grateful to the hardworking firefighters. I feel so sorry that they cannot even go home, having come from afar.]

As the National Fire Mobilization Order was extended, 100 out of the 200 fire trucks gathered from across the country will remain in the South Gyeongsang Province region.

Public and private sectors are joining forces, including 59 fire vehicles from South Gyeongsang Province itself, local governments, and volunteer organizations.

[Kim Dong-in / Senior Firefighter, Miryang Fire Station, South Gyeongsang Headquarters: People have come from far away not just from Gyeonggi Province, but also Gangwon Fire Headquarters, and when grandfathers and grandmothers come to express their gratitude, it feels even more rewarding.]

The cumulative amount of water sprayed on the fields of South Gyeongsang Province over the three days reached 26,000 tons, but it falls short of resolving the prolonged drought.

You can see slight moisture in the fields like this from the water sprayed by the fire trucks.

However, scars of the drought remain, with the ground split open in various places.

With up to 150 mm of rain forecasted to fall in the Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang regions during the Liberation Day holiday, farmers are eagerly hoping this rain will thoroughly and evenly drench the cracked and parched earth.

[Ryu Su-gon / Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province: It definitely has to rain. Rain must fall. It would be wonderful if it rains.]

The National Fire Agency plans to decide whether to lift the National Fire Mobilization Order depending on future weather conditions.

(Video by Jeong Kyeong-mun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.