Geumcheon-gu said it is carrying out a comprehensive heatwave response plan to protect residents amid record-breaking heat.
The district has been under a heatwave warning since Wednesday.
In response, Geumcheon-gu activated its Heatwave Response Headquarters to oversee all countermeasures. Key initiatives include operating cooling shelters, installing heat-reduction facilities, spraying water on roads and providing care for residents vulnerable to extreme heat.
The district has designated 94 locations — including public offices, financial institutions, welfare centers and senior community halls — as cooling shelters where residents can take a break from the heat. Each shelter is equipped with air conditioning and drinking water. Operating hours vary by facility but are generally 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. When a heatwave advisory is in effect, weekday hours extend to 9 p.m., and shelters also open on public holidays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The district has also added new heat-reduction installations this summer. Eight parasol shade structures have been set up at crosswalks and two canopy-style shades installed in parks, bringing the total number of shade structures to 139. Three new cooling-fog systems — which spray a fine water mist to lower ambient temperatures — have been added at Sangirak Park, Geumcheon Sports Park and a bridge, raising the total to nine cooling-fog sites across the district.
Water-spraying trucks are operating along major roads, conducting intensive spraying from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the hottest hours of the day.
The district is also stepping up care for residents most vulnerable to heatwaves, including the elderly and people with disabilities. About 380 designated disaster helpers will contact roughly 2,300 at-risk residents by phone and in person to check on their wellbeing whenever a heatwave advisory is issued. Under a newly introduced severe heatwave alert system launched this year, welfare checks will be conducted up to twice daily to help prevent heat-related illness among vulnerable residents.
Alongside this, the district is pursuing additional measures to prevent heatwave damage, including safety inspections of gas facilities, operation of emergency accommodation and daytime and nighttime bathing facilities, patrols for homeless individuals and protection activities for outdoor workers.
"With heatwave warnings continuing after the monsoon season, we are putting all our efforts into implementing a comprehensive heatwave response plan," Geumcheon-gu District Mayor Choi Ki-chan said. "We will prioritize the lives and safety of our residents and work to respond proactively and swiftly to prevent heatwave damage."
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