Flood alert upgraded for Imjin River near inter-Korean border amid downpours

Water is released from North Korea's Gunnam Dam in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

Authorities on Tuesday upgraded a flood alert to a full warning for the Imjin River near the border with North Korea as water levels rose sharply due to heavy downpours and the North's release of water.

The Han River Flood Control Office upgraded the alert from an advisory at 3:30 p.m. shortly after the water level at Imjin Bridge in Yeoncheon County, about 60 kilometers northeast of Seoul, reached 10.3 meters, rising 0.1 to 0.2 meters every 10 minutes.

The flood control office had issued the advisory at 11:40 a.m. after the bridge's water level rose to 7 meters.

The bridge's water level has been on a sharp rise as heavy rainfall pounded the county and North Korea appeared to have released water from a dam near the inter-Korean border without giving prior notice.

The environment ministry said late Monday that satellite imagery confirmed the release of water from the Hwanggang Dam on the upper reaches of the Imjin River.

The water level at the Pilseung Bridge, the northernmost point of the Imjin River in South Korea, measured 10.1 meters at 3:20 p.m., after reaching 8.1 meters at 11:40 a.m., according to the flood control office.

The office and the county have sent mobile safety warnings to residents and visitors in the area, urging them to stay away from rivers and evacuate to safe locations.

A unification ministry official called on North Korea to respond jointly with the South to natural disasters "in a responsible manner," given that it is "a humanitarian issue."

North Korea previously agreed to consult with the South before releasing water from the dam.

"Given the limitations we face, including severed communication channels with North Korea, we are monitoring related developments using various technologies, including satellite imagery," the official said.

In 2009, North Korea agreed to notify South Korea in advance when it plans to discharge water from the Hwanggang Dam, following an accident that killed six South Koreans after the North discharged water from the dam without notice.