South Korea suspects North Korea unannounced dam discharge, forcing tourists to evacuate
A source from South Korea’s Unification Ministry said that between July and August 3, North Korea had discharged the dam three times but did not notify the South Korean side.
South Korea suspected North Korea of discharging water from a dam near its border with the country, prompting people vacationing near the Imjin River to evacuate because of rising water levels.
The water level measured at a bridge on the Imjin river has passed 1m since the afternoon of July 5. Tourists on the riverbank were also asked to disperse.
The Imjin River is located in South Korea’s Yeoncheon District, near the North Korean border.
“North Korea appears to have released water from the Hwanggang Dam,” an official at South Korea’s Unification Ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs told reporters.
Yeoncheon County sent an alert to nearby residents and asked residents to move to a safe area.
It was not immediately clear how many people had to leave after the suspicious discharge.
