Juvenile mullet are released from an aquaculture farm in an emergency measure as high-water-temperature alerts expand across all coastal waters of South Gyeongsang Province following the disappearance of cold-water zones. [South Gyeongsang Province]
Juvenile mullet are released from an aquaculture farm in an emergency measure as high-water-temperature alerts expand across all coastal waters of South Gyeongsang Province following the disappearance of cold-water zones. [South Gyeongsang Province]

South Gyeongsang Province has launched an all-out emergency response, mobilizing its full administrative capacity to minimize losses for farmers and fishers as severe drought and dangerously high water temperatures grip the region. A prolonged dry monsoon season and an extended heatwave have worsened crop damage across inland farming areas, while rapidly rising sea temperatures along the South Sea coast have prompted the province to activate a comprehensive crisis management system.

Agricultural areas across the province's interior are being pushed to the brink by water shortages. The province's natural disaster division reports that heatwave and drought damage has been recorded across 1,955.6 hectares of farmland this summer. Sweet persimmons suffered the heaviest losses at 1,225.2 hectares, followed by rice paddies at 562.9 hectares and pears at 40 hectares.

In major sweet persimmon growing areas — including Changwon, Jinju, Sacheon, Gimhae, Miryang and Haman — intense solar radiation is causing sunscald, while water shortages are causing fruit to shrivel. Concern among orchard farmers is mounting as the damage spreads.

Rice paddies and field crops are also suffering widespread losses. In paddy fields in Hadong, Changnyeong, Geochang and Hapcheon, dried-up water supplies have caused rice leaves to wither, and rice plants in reclaimed land paddies are dying from salt damage. Pear orchards in Jinju have reported fruit softening and skin cracking from heat stress, while leaf blight from water shortages is worsening across field crops including soybeans on 28 hectares and chili peppers on 15 hectares.

The depletion of agricultural water supplies has reached a critical level. Of the province's 18 cities and counties, 17 — all except Hamyang-gun — have entered some stage of agricultural drought. Miryang, Haman-gun and Geoje in particular have reached the "Serious" level, the most severe drought classification for agricultural water. They are the only areas in the country currently at that level.

Reservoir levels are falling sharply. Haman-gun's agricultural water reservoir rate stands at 26.2 percent, just 39 percent of the normal level; Geoje is at 29.8 percent, or 37.3 percent of normal; and Miryang has dropped to 25.9 percent, or 34.6 percent of normal. Officials on the ground say securing additional water supplies to prepare for a prolonged drought is now urgent.

High-water-temperature damage in the province's coastal fisheries sector is also growing rapidly. The disappearance of cold-water zones in provincial waters has caused sea temperatures to spike, prompting the expansion of high-water-temperature advisories to the waters off Tongyeong and Geoje. High-water-temperature warnings are already in effect for Sacheon Bay, Gangjin Bay and Jinhae Bay.

The officially tallied losses from aquaculture fish deaths so far stand at 52,000 fish across 16 farms, with estimated damages of 88.7 million won ($62,700). The province conducted its first emergency release of juvenile fish — 154,000 rockfish and grey mullet — in the Samdong-myeon area of Namhae-gun on Monday, and is expanding the release zone to cover waters under high-water-temperature advisories.

The province held an emergency briefing at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the provincial government briefing room, presided over by Vice Governor Park Il-ung, officially announcing a comprehensive set of measures addressing the current state of drought and high-water-temperature damage and the fiscal and administrative support planned in response.

The province plans to rapidly deploy fiscal resources — including reserve funds and central government grants — to support affected areas. Beyond the 6.35 billion won already secured and disbursed, the province has obtained an additional 4.894 billion won in special government grants for drought and high-water-temperature response.

The province is also pushing to allocate 300 million won from its disaster relief fund to support villages in mountain areas facing restricted drinking water supply, and has requested an additional 9.8 billion won in central government funds for agricultural water. It is also moving quickly to deploy 3 billion won in reserve funds for city and county support. An additional 330 million won in central government funds for high-water-temperature response equipment is set to be disbursed this week, with oxygen generators and shade nets to be distributed immediately to fish farms.


ook967@heraldcorp.com