On the morning of the 7th, when the Arctic cold wave of -20 degrees Celsius hits, a snow removal vehicle is servicing a frozen road in Euljiro, Seoul. News 1
The heavy snowfall and cold wave that fell from the evening of the 6th caused snow to pile up or freeze on the main roads of Seoul, causing great inconvenience to citizens due to the commencement and traffic congestion. In particular, even though cold waves and heavy snow were predicted, snow removal was not performed in a timely manner, and the city’s traffic broadcasting (TBS) did not organize emergency disaster broadcasts.
The city of Seoul announced that 706 snow removal vehicles, 109 snow removal equipment, and 4,165 tons of calcium chloride were put in until 10 am on the 7th, and 24,233 people, including city and autonomous district employees, were working on emergency work from the previous day to perform snow removal work. Nevertheless, major roads and roads on the back side froze, causing accidents large and small. Criticism poured out that “the snow removal work and preparation in advance were insufficient”.
The city of Seoul raised snow removal measures from Stage 1 to Stage 2 only at 7:20 pm the day before two hours after the snow began to fly strongly. In the first stage, the snow removal agent was sprayed only, and after the second stage was raised, the snow was pushed out.
Regarding this, a city official explained, “The Meteorological Administration said it was snowing from 9 p.m.,” and “Emergency duty started at 4 p.m., and snow removal was sprayed from 5 p.m.” However, the Meteorological Administration refuted, “We predicted that it would snow at around 6 pm, and even issued a preliminary warning in the morning of the day. The claim of Seoul is not true.” The Meteorological Agency actually said in a forecast for the metropolitan area released at 4:20 a.m. on the previous day, “Snow starts from the west coast in the afternoon (15~18:00) today (6th) and it will snow until night (18~24pm).” On the way home from work and on the way to work tomorrow (7th), traffic congestion is expected due to snow.” It is difficult to escape criticism that the city of Seoul responded with ease.
A city official also said, “In the areas of Seocho, Songpa, Gangnam, and Gangdong, there was a lot of snow of up to 13cm, and snow was pushed out at the same time, but the congestion was so severe that there was a limit to securing the movement of snow removal vehicles.” Failure to respond has raised the problem.
Regular personnel from the city of Seoul announced the day before are also mentioned as the cause of the initial snow removal failure. It is said that the change of the road management section manager (technical level 4) and the safety officer (level 3) in charge of the snow removal work on the 8th was announced, and the response was disrupted.
In addition, it is controversial that Seo Jeong-hyup, acting mayor of Seoul, appointed Professor Sun-young Yoo Sung-hoe University as the chairman of the Seoul Media Foundation’s Traffic Broadcasting (TBS) on the 6th. Former Congressman Lee Hye-hoon said, “In a situation where 10 million citizens were tied up by a heavy snowfall, TBS should have urgently organized (disaster broadcasts) to provide traffic information in real time. It was pointed out that it was one color.” It is pointed out that the traffic broadcasting did not respond properly due to the cold wave and heavy snow in the cluttered time when the new and old heads were replaced. have.
An official from Seoul said, “Former Chairman Kim Young-shin, who took office in February of last year, died suddenly in June of the same year and was inevitably greeted because he was vacant for more than six months.” From 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., a heavy snow special broadcast was urgently organized,” he explained. However, 8 pm the previous day was a time when 2.3 cm of snow had already fallen and roads in the city were in severe congestion.
Park Minsik reporter [email protected]
Song Okjin reporter [email protected]
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