Fear of Additional Collapses... Evacuation Orders Issued for Some 350 Residents

[Anchor]

Now let's go to the site of the landslide in Geoje, where one resident was killed and two others were injured. Reporter Kim su-yun is at the apartment complex struck by the landslide.

Reporter Kim, it appears that the soil and debris remain piled up right behind you. How are the recovery operations progressing?

[Reporter]

I am at the apartment complex in Okpo-dong, Geoje, which was struck by a landslide early this morning (August 17).

The rain that fell throughout the day has now temporarily eased.

At the site, excavators were deployed right after the accident to clear away the soil and debris that collapsed from the mountain behind.

The landslide caused extensive damage to three apartment buildings and vehicles parked on the ground level. Among them, in the building where soil penetrated the first floor and three residents were killed or injured, recovery work has not been carried out following the rescue operations due to concerns over additional landslides.

Various household items and structures are still scattered across the scene.

Currently, recovery operations are centered around the ground parking lot and the other two apartment buildings.

[Anchor]

Geoje has received so much rain that additional landslides are also a concern. Have the residents evacuated safely?

[Reporter]

Yes, the Geoje city government has issued evacuation orders for about 350 residents across roughly 240 households in five buildings where there is a risk of further damage.

Residents staying at shelters set up in nearby elementary schools and other facilities are spending a rather uneasy time, constantly checking weather conditions on their mobile phones.

[Ahn Jae-hwi / Evacuated Resident: "If it is determined to be safe, we will go back into our homes, but until then, I don't think we can go inside. It's disheartening. I've never seen anything like this in my life. For something I only saw on the news to happen right at my home...."]

Record-breaking torrential rain has poured not only here in Geoje, but also in Tongyeong and Sacheon, causing flooding and isolation in various places, with an estimated 360 residents evacuated.

Due to the continuous rain and the delayed recovery efforts, the National Fire Agency issued a third National Fire Mobilization Order for Geoje and Tongyeong a short while ago.

With more rain forecast through tomorrow, local governments in South Gyeongsang Province, including Geoje, have urged citizens to refrain from going out and to pay close attention to safety.

(Video by Jung Kyeong-mun | Video Editing by Chae Chul-ho)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.