Water level at Imjin River's Pilsung Bridge rises above 8 meters... crisis response moves beyond the 'interest' stage

[Financial News, Yeoncheon = Reporter Kim Kyung-soo] The water level at Pilsung Bridge, the northernmost point of the Imjin River in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, has continued to rise due to the release of water from North Korea's Hwanggang Dam, prompting caution after moving beyond the crisis response stage of 'interest.'
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCHQ) and others on the 21st, the water level at Pilsung Bridge had risen to 8.95 meters as of 12:37 p.m. It exceeded the 7.5-meter threshold for the 'interest' stage under border-area crisis management standards.
The water level at the Gunnam Flood Control Dam downstream from Pilsung Bridge also rose, reaching 31.029 meters as of 6 a.m. The dam's planned flood level, the design standard for flood preparedness, is 40 meters.
As of 6 a.m., the Gunnam Dam was releasing 955 tons per second into the lower reaches of the Imjin River out of an inflow of 1,532 tons per second.
The sharp rise in the Imjin River's water level in the border area is attributed to North Korea's release of water from the Hwanggang Dam upstream.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said the previous afternoon that satellite image analysis indicated North Korea had released water from the Hwanggang Dam on the upper reaches of the Imjin River.
Meanwhile, the Imjin River basin uses a four-stage flood management system based on the water level at Pilsung Bridge. When the level exceeds 1 meter, an evacuation order is issued for riverside visitors. At 2 meters, it triggers evacuation of people during the non-flood season. The 7.5-meter mark corresponds to the 'interest' stage for border-area crisis response, while 12 meters triggers the 'caution' stage.
[email protected] Kim Kyung-soo Reporter