National Fire Mobilization Order Lifted... Drought Worries Ease, But Challenges Remain

[Anchor]

While some areas, including Geoje, experienced heavy rain damage due to a sudden surge in precipitation, most regions received much-needed rain that helped alleviate prolonged drought concerns.

Reporter Jang Min-seong has the story.


[Reporter]

Water is filling up reservoirs that had hit rock bottom, and puddles have formed in field furrows that were dried up by the heat wave and drought.

Much-welcomed rain has fallen on Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, which had been severely parched for more than two months after entering the drought "attention" stage last June.

[Ahn Jong-gu / Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province: This rain is truly a life-saver. (Have you ever seen a drought like this?) Oh, never. I am 67 years old now, and I have never seen anything like this.]

Heavy raindrops are also pouring down on parched carrot fields.

Farmers who had been anxious due to extreme heat and a lack of rain for over a month can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

[Kim Dong-hyun / Gujwa-eup, Jeju City: It was so frustrating and kept me up at night because it wouldn't rain, but it is a huge relief that the rain has finally come.]

This rainfall is expected to provide some relief in easing the nationwide drought that has lasted for over two months.

Six areas, including Miryang, Geoje, Uiryeong, Haman, Changnyeong, and Ulju-gun in Ulsan, had been classified under the "severe" drought stage as their agricultural water reservoir storage rates remained below 40% compared to typical years.

Fire trucks from the Gyeonggi and Gangwon regions had even been mobilized to provide emergency water supply support to prevent drought damage, but the national fire mobilization order, which had been in place for four days, was completely lifted alongside news of the rain.

(Video Reported by Kang Myung-chul from JIBS and Jeon Jae-hyun from KNN | Video Edited by Kim Ho-jin | Design by Cho Su-in)

※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.