South Korea Deploys Military Vehicles, Water Tankers to Tackle Severe Drought

South Korea has deployed military vehicles and fire service water tankers to provide water to drought-hit areas in the southeastern part of the country as authorities step up efforts to deal with a severe drought.

Seoul-based news agency Yonhap reported the development on Thursday.

According to the report, around 200 water tankers and 400 personnel have been dispatched to South Gyeongsang Province from different parts of the country under a nationwide firefighting mobilization order issued on Tuesday.

Fourteen additional military vehicles have also joined the operation to deliver water to farms and households in drought-affected areas.

As of Thursday, all 18 administrative areas of South Gyeongsang Province had officially been placed under drought conditions. The average water storage level of reservoirs across the province has fallen to 32.8 percent, significantly below the long-term average of 70.8 percent.

This is only the second time South Korea has issued a nationwide order to mobilize firefighting forces to address a drought. The first such order was issued in August last year to respond to drought conditions in the eastern coastal city of Gangneung.