"Do you have to risk your life to live in a semi-basement? To stay in Seoul on this rent..." People who cannot sleep when it rains [Recorder of the Low Places]

[Financial News] "When I get an alert saying heavy rain is coming, I check the window first. Even with a flood barrier, it is impossible not to feel uneasy."A man in his 50s, identified as A, whom we met on the 17th in a semi-basement residential area in Sillim-dong, Gwanak District, Seoul, said this. Beneath the low window, there was a drain and a manhole, and flood barriers had been installed in front of some semi-basement windows to prevent water damage. Around the drain, small clumps of dirt and bits of trash left behind after the rain had collected.
The Sillim-dong area still carries the pain of August 2022, when three members of one family died in a semi-basement home during torrential rain in central Korea. At the time, more than 100 mm of rain fell per hour in southern Seoul, and Dongjak District's Sindaebang-dong recorded 141.5 mm of rain in an hour. After the tragedy, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has pushed to install flood-prevention facilities in semi-basement homes, support moves to ground-floor housing, and expand flood warning systems.

In the alley, it was not hard to find homes with flood barriers installed in front of semi-basement windows. In some houses, there was little difference in height between the window and the alley floor. When the window was opened, the sidewalk and road were immediately visible. A flood barrier is a device that blocks the lower part of a window and delays rainwater from entering the home.
A man in his 40s, identified as B, said, "It seems like there are a lot more flood-prevention facilities than before," but added, "When a lot of rain falls in a short time, I worry whether the drain can handle it." He said, "When I am on my way home and the rain is coming down hard, I first check whether someone is at home," and added, "If a family member lives in a semi-basement, a rain forecast is never just a weather report."
As we walked along the alley, houses with drains and semi-basement windows close together lined the street. Some windows had notices explaining how to use the flood barriers. The alley is usually used for parked cars, household trash, and flowerpots, but during heavy rain it becomes a channel for runoff.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, flood barriers have been installed in 17,837 of the 23,094 semi-basement households that were identified as needing them. For homes that have not yet been equipped, the city plans to respond by placing portable flood barriers and sandbags at neighborhood community centers and other locations. A flood barrier blocks the lower part of a window and delays rainwater from entering the home. During heavy rain, it gives semi-basement residents time to check the situation and evacuate.
The number of manhole fall-prevention devices has also increased. The city completed installations at 59,737 manholes in flood-prone areas last year, and this year it plans to expand the total to 69,819 by adding more sites.
Equipment that monitors water levels in alleys in real time is also being expanded. Last year, the city operated semi-basement water-level monitoring facilities using compact radar gauges at 15 locations in Dongjak District, Gwanak District, and Yeongdeungpo. This year, it plans to add 30 more sites in Eunpyeong District, Gangbuk, Seodaemun, and Gangseo District, bringing the total to 45.


Meanwhile, some residents said that housing relocation is as important as installing facilities. The city supports semi-basement residents in moving to ground-floor housing, but in practice, deciding to move means weighing the deposit, monthly rent, commute distance, and children's schooling.
A resident in his 50s, identified as C, said, "I don't think many people live in a semi-basement because they don't know it's dangerous," adding, "If you move to a ground-floor place, the rent goes up right away. If your salary stays the same but your housing cost rises, it's hard to keep going."
Another office worker in his 40s, identified as D, said, "I know there is moving support, but finding a new place is not easy." He added, "If you move to another neighborhood, your commute changes too, and you have to come up with the deposit again." He said, "Even if I want to leave because I am afraid of the rain, the money issue comes first."


Resident A, in his 50s, said, "When they say heavy rain is coming, I look at the window and the drain first." He added, "Once water starts rising, there is not much you can do inside." Resident B, in his 40s, said, "It is usually a quiet alley, but when the rain gets heavy, I worry about which direction the water will flow."
Homes with flood barriers still need to be checked during the monsoon season. When rain is forecast, residents check whether the locking devices are properly secured and whether dirt or trash has clogged the drain. They also said they sometimes call family members who are home alone to ask whether the windows have been closed. Flood-prevention facilities have increased since the tragedy, but that has not eliminated the tasks residents must still check on rainy days.
A pointed to a semi-basement window deeper inside the alley and said:
"It is a relief that the flood barriers are there. Still, when heavy rain is expected, I cannot relax. Water can come in in an instant."

hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter