S. Korea designates heavy rain-hit areas as special disaster zone
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E-mail Xinhua, August 7, 2020
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's interior ministry said Friday that it designated seven cities and counties hit hardest by heavy rain that lasted for the past week in the country's central region as a special disaster zone to rapidly provide assistance of the central government.
Designated as the special disaster zone were Anseong city in Gyeonggi province, surrounding Seoul; Cheorwon county in Gangwon province; Chungju city, Jecheon city and Eumseong county in North Chungcheong province; Cheonan city and Asan city in South Chungcheong province, according to Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
The ministry said the government preemptively chose the areas as the special disaster zone to offer the early assistance of the central government for the restoration of damaged properties and the relief grants to residents.
Following further examination, the government will announce the designation of additional areas as special disaster zone, the ministry noted.
The downpour continued for the past week in the country's central region, including Seoul and the metropolitan area.
As of 6:00 a.m. local time Friday, at least 17 people have been found dead and 10 others missing because of the heavy rain, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
A total of 2,500 people from 1,447 households were forced to evacuate homes, including 748 residents in South Chungcheong province, 636 in North Chungcheong province, 628 in Gangwon province, 479 in Gyeonggi province, six in Seoul and three in North Gyeongsang province.
About 8,161 hectares of farmland were swamped or buried, while 6,162 cases of property damages were reported including 3,297 private assets and 2,865 public facilities.
Houses, cattle shed, warehouses and agricultural plastic houses were flooded or destroyed, while roads, railways, bridges and water reservoirs were damaged.
About two-thirds of the damaged properties got restored in an emergency manner, with over 62,000 police officers, firefighters, government officials and volunteers mobilized. Enditem
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