Fire trucks, military deployed to combat drought in southeast

Fire trucks and military assets from throughout the country were rapidly deployed on Thursday to deliver urgently needed water to South Gyeongsang Province, as a severe drought continues to afflict the southeastern region of South Korea. In response to a nationwide mobilization order issued by authorities on Tuesday, over 200 water tankers and around 400 personnel from various fire departments across the nation were mobilized to assist the province.

Additionally, 14 vehicles from branches of the military, including the Army, Air Force, Navy, and forestry service, joined the relief efforts to provide water to both agricultural and residential areas affected by the drought.

By late Wednesday evening, fire authorities had successfully delivered nearly 4,770 tons of water to South Gyeongsang Province. The situation worsened as all 18 municipalities within the province officially entered drought stages on Thursday, with Hamyang County, which had previously been unaffected, now placed under a drought watch.

The average water storage rate across the province's municipalities currently stands at a critically low 32.8 percent, significantly below the long-term average of 70.8 percent. This marks the second instance of a nationwide fire response as the province grapples with the dire consequences of the ongoing drought.