Drought forces drastic water restrictions in S. Korean city

An unprecedented drought has led a South Korean coastal city to significantly restrict water use in many people's homes, close public restrooms and scrap sports events, officials said Friday, underscoring the country's climate woes.

President Lee Jae Myung last week declared the eastern city of Gangneung a national disaster area, and residents face water supply restrictions.

The dry spell has forced authorities in the city of 200,000 people to shut off 75 percent of household water meters, leaving residents with considerably lower-than-usual water pressure.

On Friday, city mayor Kim Hong-kyu said water supply will be cut off to 123 sites, including 113 apartment complexes and 10 large hotels.

According to the city, their tanks should last two to three days, after which emergency deliveries by tanker trucks will begin.

"Gangneung is currently experiencing its worst drought in 108 years since meteorological observations began," mayor Kim told reporters.

"We can survive this drought only if we all conserve and use water sparingly," he added.

Gangneung this week closed all municipally-run sports facilities, including swimming pools, tennis courts and a golf club to ease water shortages, an official with the city government told AFP.

In a separate statement, the city said the decision was to "cope with the prolonged drought after water levels at Obong Reservoir, the city's main water source, fell sharply to below 15 percent".

A national third-tier football match will be played without spectators while other sports events are being cancelled or postponed.

Some Gangneung residents have had to pick up large water bottles at drive-throughs and municipal workers were also distributing them to apartment complexes.

Gangneung has received 38.77 centimetres (15 inches) of rain over the past six months, just 45.3 percent of the average.

South Korea this week said it endured its hottest summer on record in 2025, beating the previous mark set just last year.

Earlier this year, South Korea was hit by the country's deadliest wildfires in history, which were fanned by high winds and ultra-dry conditions.