MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2023) South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday designated 13 regions of the country severely affected by rainstorms as special disaster zones, making the local authorities eligible for financial support for restoration work, the president's office said.
"Damage investigations in some areas are being hampered by ongoing rainstorms and flooding. For areas that have not been included (in the list) this time, the damage investigation will be completed quickly, and if they meet the criteria, we are planning to additionally designate them as special disaster zones," presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon told a press briefing.
Initially, only the areas where a preliminary survey and damage assessment were completed have been declared special disaster zones. To date, Yecheon County in North Gyeongsang Province, the city of Nonsan in South Chungcheong Province, the city of Iksan in North Jeolla Province, as well as the central cities of Cheongju and Gongju are on the list, among other regions, Lee said.
Designation as a special disaster area gives a region the right to receive financial support from the South Korean government for restoration work, compensation to victims and other benefits.
Yoon also instructed acting Interior and Safety Minister Han Chang-seob together with the relevant authorities to make every effort to quickly restore the affected regions and prevent additional casualties, and Agriculture Minister Chung Hwang-keun to provide assistance to the farms affected by the disaster.
The death toll from flooding and landslides caused by torrential rains in South Korea has reached at least 44, the authorities said, while thousands of people were forced to evacuate from the affected areas. After the rains ended, a heat wave hit the country. Earlier in the day, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued a heat warning for much of the country, which means the temperature is likely to reach or exceed 91 degrees Fahrenheit for two or more consecutive days.
