Facing the growing threat of localized torrential rains and typhoons fueled by climate change, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is radically modernizing its emergency infrastructure.
The city unveiled Wednesday a comprehensive reinforcement of its rescue operations, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and heavy-duty industrial hardware to protect the capital ahead of the summer flood season.
Under a comprehensive disaster response plan running through October, the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters will operate an integrated command system designed for rapid deployments during complex water-related crises.
The centerpiece of this year's defense is a new fleet of specialized tactical vehicles. The city has deployed high-capacity hydraulic drainage vehicles to the flood-prone districts of Gangnam and Yangcheon. These advanced machines utilize hydraulic pumps capable of draining up to 50 tons of water per minute from depths of up to 30 meters, allowing engineers to selectively clear deep subterranean spaces and low-lying roads. These will work alongside low-clearance fire engines and specialized power pumps tailored for urban basement inundations.
To prevent emergency services from becoming overwhelmed during a crisis, the city government said it is also turning to automation. An AI-powered "call-bot" system will manage surges in 119 emergency calls. When lines clog, the AI will screen incoming reports to isolate life-threatening emergencies, ensuring human dispatchers can focus entirely on critical rescue operations.
If simultaneous disasters strike the capital, a regional situation management system will automatically divide Seoul into four operational quadrants. This allows the headquarters to dynamically shift personnel, mobile flood barriers and advanced scouting tools — including four-legged walking robots and aerial drones — to highly vulnerable areas.
"Climate change has made the patterns of heavy rain and typhoons incredibly unpredictable," said Hong Young-geun, head of the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters. "Even brief bursts of intense rain can cause severe damage in an urban environment. We are tightening our readiness through real-world training and high-tech cooperation."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
