Advanced Tech Deployed for Extreme Disaster Preparedness Drills

As climate change intensifies, the scale of human and property damage from extreme summer weather is growing daily. Against this backdrop, the importance of advanced technologies that create virtual environments identical to reality to predict and prepare for disasters is being highlighted. In the Chungcheong region, which suffered significant damage from record-breaking downpours, a flood preparedness drill utilizing 'Digital Twin' technology—which mimics real environments to predict and prepare for disaster situations in advance—was conducted for the first time.

'Digital Twin' technology builds a virtual environment identical to reality to predict flood damage scale and overflow routes in 3D. Previously, only water levels at specific points with observation stations could be grasped, but now, water level changes across the entire river section can be viewed at a glance. This technology can play a crucial role in reducing human and property damage during disasters.

During record-breaking torrential rains in the Chungcheong region in July 2024, the Geum River Basin Control Center, based on rainfall data, predicted that Nonsan City's riverside parking lot would be submerged within three hours and conducted a simulated drill to notify tourists of evacuation and vehicle relocation measures. Jeong Hye-yoon, head of the Water Disaster Response Division at the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, stated that having all information visible at once on a single platform can reduce response time during disasters.