The environment ministry said on Thursday that North Korea appears to be releasing a large amount of water from a dam near the border area.  

The ministry said that while satellite photos taken at 3 p.m. on Wednesday showed no signs of water release from the North’s Hwanggang Dam, located on the upper Imjin River, photos taken at 4 a.m. on Thursday showed a significant rise in water levels in the lower reaches of the river.

The ministry added that it has shared the information with relevant organizations, including military units and local governments, and has activated an emergency response system. 

A water release from the Hwanggang Dam can cause major flooding on the South Korean side. 

With the rise of water levels in the lower reaches of the Imjin River, the Han River flood control office issued a flood advisory for the Imjin Bridge in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday. 

Water levels at the bridge, which had remained below one meter, surged to six-point-79 meters by 6:10 a.m. on Thursday.