43 cases of heavy downpours have occurred in regions without emergency text alert service

Forty-three cases of heavy downpours warranting emergency alerts have occurred in regions where the text alert system was unavailable so far this year, data showed Monday, prompting calls to expand the service nationwide. A total of 137 cases of torrential rain have occurred so far this year at levels that meet the requirements for emergency text alerts to be sent to residents in the area as of Aug. 21, according to the data submitted to Rep. Kim Ju-young of the main opposition Democratic Party. Such disaster text alerts are sent when at least 50 millimeters of rain falls in an hour, along with a three-hour total of at least 90 mm, or when at least 72 mm of rain falls per hour. Of them, 59 percent, or 94 cases, took place in regions where the alert system was in place, but the remaining 31 percent, or 43 cases, occurred in locations where the service was not available. The text alert system, which is credited with preventing human casualties, has been available in the greater Seoul area since last year, and it was expanded to North Gyeongsang Province and South Jeolla Province in May this year. "Human causalities that could have been prevented if the emergency text service was available also took place this year," said Rep. Kim, stressing the need to expand the system nationwide in response to the abnormal climate. Source: Yonhap News Agency