"쓰나미 막는다" 국내 첫 지진해일 방지시설<br /><br />The Korean Peninsula is not typically an area of high seismic activity but is still vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis in the East Sea.<br />Now, the country's first tsunami prevention facility is being built on the east coast of Gangwon-do Province.<br />Park Se-young has more.<br />At the entrance of Samcheok Port in Gangwon-Province are two concrete pillars soaring 15 stories tall.<br />Between the pillars, there is a steel sluice gate ...that is 50 meters wide, over seven meters tall ...and weighs 520 tons.<br />This facility, ...the first in South Korea and the largest in Asia, is being built to prevent damage from tsunamis.<br />When a tsunami is expected, the floodgates can be lowered to protect the port.<br />Lowering the floodgates can block waves that are about three-and-a-half meters higher than the normal sea level.<br />A magnitude 7 earthquake or stronger on the west coast of Japan can cause a tsunami to reach Korea's east coast in one to two hours.<br />In 1983 and 1993, Samcheok port sustained heavy damage from tsunamis originating from Japan.<br />"It takes about one minute for every one to one-and-a-half meters. It has a height of 19 meters, and it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to close entirely."<br />The Oceans Ministry and Gangwon-do Province will set up an observatory at the top so the floodgates can also be used as a tsunami education center and tourist facility.<br />The construction of the 40-million-dollar facility is 80 percent complete ...and it is scheduled to be ready for action by next June.<br />Park Se-young, Arirang News.<br />
