Rural Village Turns into Muddy Lake

Daehang, a rural village located in Jangbang-ri, Hallim-myeon, Kimhae City in southern province of Gyeongnam, has been isolated for the last 6 days as torrential rains continue to pummel the south part of the country. Traveling around the village aboard a boat for two hours on August 15, we found a muddy lake instead of farmlands and houses.

The scene was also witnessed through some 10 villages located in Hallim-myeon. Hundreds of thousands of pyong of farmland was flooded along with houses. Only upper parts of schools and factories were left above water. Without milestones, it was impossible to guess where we were. Residents told us that in some areas, water runs as deep as 5m. School buses and trucks were immersed in water except for their roofs, with LP gas cans, tiers and empty bottles floating around.

Some 920 households were flooded and another 260 were isolated in Hallim-myeon. The stench from the bodies of dead animals was everywhere. Residents who live in higher ground of the village were looking at the flooded farmlands dazed.

“With their rice fields and vinyl houses all immersed in water, they have not realized what has happened. But once they see what is left after water recedes, they will be utterly dejected,” said Park Do-soon, 46-year-old farmer leading a development program in the village.

It takes about 10 minutes by boat to get Daehang Village from Hallimjung Station. And now the only transportation means is some 30 boats used by 119 emergency crews and some other civic organizations that ferry back and forth residents across ‘the lake.’

“We have been bringing relief supplies and taking out sick people to hospital since the flooding,” said Choi Woong-soo (34) who is leading a 40-crew rescue team.

“Even if it stops raining today, it will take at least one week for water to recede. I don’t know what I can do afterwards,” 50-year-old farmer Jang sighed.

Nakdong river has no sign of retreating in lower parts as Imha Dam located in the upstream continues to dump as much as 600t-a-second water since 3 a.m. on the 15th. In particular, there was additional 30mm precipitation in Gyeongnam area on the day. As some of residents begin to develop a skin disease without enough water to use, Kimhae City has sent an epidemic control team to the area.

Villagers are now asking the government to declare Daehang disaster area and take speedy actions. Gyeongnam provincial council plans to hold an emergency meeting on the 16th to call for the disaster area declaration.

Amid the latest developments, a group of people representing the village visited Hallim district office on the 15th to protest incompetence of the local government, and hold a rally asking for compensations later that day.

“The government must acknowledge its failure. It is man-made disaster resulted from the lack of preparations,” said Choi Duk-ja, a 52-year-old farmer’s wife angrily.

19 people were killed or injured in Gyeongnam area alone, and some 1,800 households and 5,200 people lost their homes during the torrential rains. Property damage has reached 100 billion won as 1,500 buildings and 5,800㏊ farmlands were flooded.

Jeong-Hoon Kang manman@donga.com