South Korea Flood and Landslide Response

Status Update: August 21, 2023 

From early July 2023, heavy rainfall has triggered landslides and led to the overflow of a dam in North Chungcheong, resulting in numerous injuries and 47 deaths. Consequently, more than 6,500 households and over 10,500 individuals across the country were evacuated.  Furthermore, 628 public facilities and 317 private properties have sustained damage, while over 26,900 hectares (66,000 acres) of farmland have been either damaged or submerged, leading to the unfortunate demise of 579,000 livestock.  

Additionally, esteemed cultural heritage sites, including Gongsanseong Fortress and Mungyeong Saejae, have suffered varying degrees of harm. Official reports have indicated that this year’s flooding is the most severe South Korea has experienced in the past 115 years, marking it as the third heaviest rainfall recorded in the country’s history.  

The anticipated typhoon Khanun, forecasted to make landfall on Korea’s southeastern coast this week, has put the nation on high alert.  Typhoon Khanun is currently traversing Japan and is expected to reach the southeastern coast of the Korean Peninsula as early as Wednesday. The warning emphasizes the potential for substantial rainfall and powerful winds in the east coast area of Korea, prompting increased alerts to numerous coastal cities and provinces.  

In a proactive effort to minimize the impact of typhoon Khanun, the Government is taking steps to evacuate tens of thousands of young individuals from the site of the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea. This evacuation aims to remove them from the path of the impending typhoon. The convergence of the storm with the country’s most intense heat wave in years has intensified challenges for organizers, particularly after numerous participants fell ill amidst soaring temperatures, leading to the withdrawal of the U.S. and British contingents. Since Tuesday, August 8, 2023, approximately 36,000 participants have been transported via buses to areas outside the projected trajectory of Typhoon Khanun. The typhoon has already wrought havoc in southern Japan and is expected to impact South Korea on Thursday. 

Given the current state of weather uncertainty, ongoing efforts for relief and recovery are of paramount importance. 

IMMEDIATE NEEDS 

Current needs identified by our local nonprofit partners include: 

• Clean water 
• Basic food and drink 
• Hygiene and sanitation kits 
• Temporary settlements 
• Tools and equipment to clean houses 
• Medium and longer-term recovery work such as livelihood recovery, rehabilitation of damaged houses and public facilities, and psychosocial support to floods-affected communities 
• Continuous disaster preparedness work 

CURRENT PROGRAMS & PARTNERS 

Give2Asia will continue to develop partnerships with organizations supporting relief and recovery. During this emergency response phase, Give2Asia is supporting the work of our partners with a range of program priorities, from providing urgent basic needs such as food, clean water, and health services to ensuring access to education for children, and economic rehabilitation services. Give2Asia is proud to work with the partners listed below: 

ThePromise 

The Promise is an international aid and cooperation agency founded on the principles of impartial and indiscriminate sharing. The Promise has been actively involved in responding to disasters, not only in South Korea but also in other countries. The Promise offers support in the form of relief supplies and psychological healing programs, aiding the victims in their daily recovery.  

HOW TO GIVE

All donations received by Give2Asia will help affected communities in South Korea. Give2Asia will publish more details on the needs emerging in the coming days and weeks—and report on every dollar granted for relief and recovery.

Click the “Donate” button above to make a credit card donation. For large gifts or corporate giving opportunities, please get in touch with our international giving team.

ThePromise and The Beautiful Foundation are part of Give2Asia’s prepositioned DisasterLink network. See here for further information.