Schools and Stores Swamped in Mud... Geoje's Daily Life Collapses

[Anchor]

Record-breaking torrential rains have left heavy flood damage on schools and commercial districts in Geoje. Schools are considering delaying the start of the new semester, and merchants have suspended business to focus on recovery efforts amid a devastating situation.

Next, we have a report from KNN's Ok Min-ji.

[Reporter]

An elementary school cafeteria is covered in muddy water.

No matter how much they wipe, there is no end in sight.

Due to the poured torrential rain, the school's playground, cafeteria, and attached kindergarten were all submerged.

I am currently standing on the school playground that suffered flood damage. As you can see, the playground is entirely a mud pit, and flood-damaged school materials are piled up like this.

Damage was reported at 53 schools in South Gyeongsang Province due to this heavy rain.

Twenty-one elementary, middle, and high schools in Geoje had to close.

[Jung Yoon-hee / Okpo-dong, Geoje: "I was hoping we could return home by today, but school has been pushed back by about a day. Even if school starts, traffic problems are likely to occur, and there won't be enough time."]

As it coincides with the timing of the new semester, there is a major disruption in academic operations.

Delaying the start of the semester is also under consideration.

Gohyeon-dong, the commercial center of Geoje, has turned into chaos.

Stores were submerged in water, rendering most of their goods unsellable.

[Shoe Store Merchant: "Since about 70 to 80 percent of the shoes are completely soaked, even if we salvage whatever wasn't submerged in water as much as possible, the damage is probably going to be around 340 to 350 million won."]

They are on the verge of having to shut down their businesses.

Electronic appliances necessary for business, such as refrigerators and fryers, were all ruined.

[Restaurant Merchant: "The refrigerators don't work, and the fryers and dishwashers are all broken, so we can't do business. Right now, I don't even know if we'll be able to open tomorrow or the day after. It's devastating."]

Emergency financial aid and relief supplies are arriving, but they fall far short of what is needed.

South Gyeongsang Province has recommended that Geoje and Tongyeong, which suffered severe damage, be designated as special disaster zones.

Amid the massive damage, prompt support measures for residents are urgently needed.

(Video by Park Young-jun / KNN, Kim Tae-yong / KNN)

Ok Min-ji, KNN
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.