Gyeongnam drought virtually ended due to heavy rain during the Liberation Day holiday

Following the Liberation Day holiday, heavy rain poured down mainly in the southern region in late August, effectively ending the 'extreme drought' in the Gyeongnam region this summer.

According to Gyeongnam Province on the 5th, as of the morning of the previous day, the agricultural water storage rate in 18 cities and counties in the province was 58.9%, up to 83.5% compared to the average year (70.5%).

The water storage rate was 32.2% on the 14th of last month, when the drought was at its worst before heavy rain fell during the Liberation Day holiday, which is an increase of more than 25% compared to the average of 41.4% compared to the previous year.

Agricultural water drought levels are divided into four levels: Concern (lower than 70% of water storage rate compared to 30-year average, mild drought), Caution (less than 60%, moderate drought), Warning (less than 50%, severe drought), and Severe (less than 40%, severe drought).

As of the 14th of last month, all cities and counties in Gyeongnam were affected by drought, including 5 places including Miryang-si, Geoje-si, Haman-gun, Uiryeong-gun, and Changnyeong-gun, which were in serious condition, 9 places including Changwon-si, Jinju-si, and Tongyeong-si, and 3 places including Sacheon-si, Namhae-gun, and Geochang-gun, were under caution, and Hamyang-gun was at concern level.

Following a dry rainy season with little rain from late June to early July, a heat wave with daytime temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius for a month from mid-July caused Gyeongnam to experience the most severe drought in the country.

Before the Liberation Day holiday, damage to 2,400 ha of agricultural land in Gyeongnam Province, mainly fruit trees such as sweet persimmons, pears, and apples, and field crops such as beans, sesame seeds, and peppers, was caused by death, leaf scorch, and overheating (a phenomenon in which fruit splits and bursts).

The shortage of agricultural water was so severe that a national fire mobilization order was issued and hundreds of fire trucks from all over the country had to converge in Gyeongnam at the same time to irrigate the rice fields.

However, during the three days of the Liberation Day holiday, heavy rain fell throughout Gyeongsangnam-do, enough to cause significant damage to Geoje and Tongyeong cities.

Then, heavy rain fell again around August 29th to 30th, effectively ending the drought.

Currently, 15 cities and counties in Gyeongnam have returned to the normal level, Uiryeong-gun remains at the caution level, and Hadong-gun and Sancheong-gun remain at the concern level.

Sacheon-si, Yangsan-si, Changnyeong-gun, Goseong-gun, and Namhae-gun had water storage rates exceeding 100% compared to the average year.

When the harvest season begins in September, agricultural water is not needed as much as in the spring and summer.

The province believes that it has secured enough water for agricultural use to ease concerns about water for the remainder of this year.

A provincial official said, “After the crops are harvested, agricultural water use is greatly reduced, so we don’t have to worry about drought for the rest of the year.”

The water storage rate of Miryang Dam, which supplies water for agriculture and domestic purposes, also increased from 31.2% as of the 14th of last month to 42.5% as of the 4th.

Miryang Dam is still at the drought alert level for residential and industrial water use, but is supplying water normally.