The government raised the crisis alert level to its highest Thursday as heavy downpours pounded the greater Seoul area and the central region of the country, with more rains approaching.
The Ministry of Interior and Safety said it had elevated the crisis warning level to "serious," the highest level, as of 8:30 p.m. from "alert," as the weather authorities expanded heavy rain alerts in the central parts of the country, including Seoul and other regions.
The weather agency forecast rainfall of as much as 30-80 millimeters per hour in the greater Seoul region and the eastern inland areas of Gangwon Province until Friday morning, and parts of Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon and the central Chungcheong areas until Saturday.
A heavy rain alert was issued in the Seoul metropolitan area at 9 p.m.
The central government headquarters in charge of disaster management instructed related agencies in the regions to work in emergency mode and mobilize all resources available, including the military, to enable quick responses in the event of an accident.
The ministry strongly advised local governments to evacuate all residents from risky areas and block entry to valleys, streams or riverside parking areas.
Various cases of damage were reported from across the country.
More than 2,000 households in a northern district of Seoul experienced a power outage. Dozens of calls were made to report flooding in houses and the collapse of brick walls.
The weather agency estimated that the central province of South Chungcheong and North Jeolla Province in the southwest could receive more than 400 mm in rainfall until Saturday.
Source: Yonhap News Agency