SEOUL, Heavy snow pounded part of the host province of the Winter Youth Olympics in South Korea on Saturday, and the government activated emergency protocols to ensure the safety of participants and residents, officials said.
The city of Gangneung in Gangwon Province had received around 41.6 centimeters of snow as of 9 p.m., and the adjacent city of Samcheok had 33.4 cm, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Some of the roads in Gangneung have been blocked, and a total of 41 entrances to major mountains, including Mount Seorak, remained closed.
“Up to 10 cm more of snowfall is expected in mountainous areas, and some regions along the East Sea are forecast to have up to 5 cm of snow through Sunday,” an agency official said.
In response, the provincial government went into Level 2 emergency mode and has taken necessary measures for safety by mobilizing 5,620 officials and 693 pieces of snow removal equipment.
Some planned events of the Olympics have been affected, and officials of the spor
ting event organizer called on the participants to check the official website for possible schedule changes.
“The government will make all-out efforts to proceed with the Olympics without a hitch,” Gangwon Gov. Kim Jin-tae said.
The fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympics kicked off Friday, open to athletes aged 15-18 until Feb. 1.
The event brought together 1,802 athletes representing 78 nations, who are competing in 81 events in seven sports and 15 disciplines. The host South Korea has the biggest delegation with 102 athletes.
Source: Yonhap News Agency