Prepping for monsoon season disasters

The monsoon season, which is forecast to begin this weekend, could determine the fate of the Lee Myung-bak administration. Staff of the Environment Ministry and autonomous provincial governments are wary of the potential for disaster resulting from floods at more than 4,000 burial sites of culled animals due to foot-and-mouth disease in 76 cities and counties nationwide. Construction of weirs and dredging work, which are core parts of the four-river restoration project, is in the final phase, but if temporary dykes are inundated or damaged due to monsoon rains or floods, it could cause massive damage and ignite public anger against the government.

The foot-and-mouth disease fiasco, which started in November last year, was so severe that even the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization called it the worst incident of its kind in 50 years due to lack of early government response. An estimated 3.3 million heads of livestock were culled and 2.5 trillion won (2.3 billion U.S. dollars) were paid in compensation to farmers who suffered damage. Worse still, culled animals were buried in a recklessly and disorderly fashion, and areas around burial sites are exposed to the risk of leachate leaks and soil contamination. The foot-and-mouth disease fiasco showed just how poor the government is in overall capacity to cope with a crisis and marred the country`s global image.

A Dong-A Ilbo study has found that leachate has been leaked at certain burial sites, raising the threat of secondary exposure. Even sites that are well managed after burial and those where animals were properly buried might not effectively withstand a prolonged rainy season or torrential rains. Furthermore, sites where animals were poorly buried or those where drainage ditches were improperly installed will likely suffer serious aftereffects during the monsoon season. The government and autonomous metropolitan and provincial governments should thoroughly inspect all those sites and prepare for a worst-case scenario.

The river restoration venture is a national project pushed for by the Lee administration despite strong objections by opposition parties, environmental groups and certain religious entities. The success or failure of this project will determine the very fate of the incumbent administration. As the construction of weirs and dredging work is more than 90 percent complete, the public could witness and judge on their own the results of the massive state project as early as year’s end. If disasters big or small occur at the project`s sites during the monsoon season, it will delay construction work and fuel public criticism of the administration.

In addition to the restoration project`s headquarters, the government including the presidential office should display commitment and thoroughly manage construction sites to preempt any fears over shoddy work in the final phase of the project. If the government fails to introduce and implement proper follow-up measures in summer in the aftermath of the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic, the government will have no chance to regain the people`s trust.