In this file photo taken on Aug 22, 2015, policemen of the Republic of Korea stand at a checkpoint near a bunker at a border village Yeoncheon near the Demilitarized Zone. (ED JONES / AFP)
SEOUL – The Democratic People's Republic of Korea appears to have released water from a dam near its border with the Republic of Korea, prompting vacationers in the neighboring country to evacuate over rising water levels on the Imjin River, officials said on Tuesday.
The water level at a bridge at the river in the ROK's border county of Yeoncheon surpassed 1 meter on Monday afternoon, requiring visitors on the riverbank to evacuate, government data showed
The water level at a bridge at the river in the ROK's border county of Yeoncheon surpassed 1 meter on Monday afternoon, requiring visitors on the riverbank to evacuate, government data showed.
The DPRK appears to have released water from its Hwanggang dam, an official at the ROK's unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs told Reuters.
ALSO READ: UN official: ROK violated rights of deported DPRK fishermen
The Yeoncheon county said it sent alarm messages to nearby residents and issued warnings to move to a safe area.
It was not immediately clear how many people had to leave after the suspected water release.
"The water level is now decreasing after hovering over 1.6 meters," a Yeoncheon county official said.
The DPRK has been stepping up efforts to prevent flood damage from recent heavy rains.
ALSO READ: DPRK says US setting up Asian NATO; vows stronger defense
The ROK has repeatedly urged the DPRK to give notice before releasing water from the dam, as the river flows through Yeoncheon, but Pyongyang has remained unresponsive.
Release of water from the dam in 2009 resulted in flooding downstream that killed six ROK people.