Torrential Rains in South Korea Claim Four Lives, Prompt Mass Evacuations

Seoul, July 17 — Four people have died and over 1,000 residents have been evacuated after unprecedented rainfall battered South Korea on Thursday, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety reported.

Emergency authorities confirmed that a vehicle driver was killed when a 10‑metre-high roadside wall collapsed onto his car in Osan, approximately 44 km south of Seoul, late Wednesday. In a separate incident in Seosan, Chungcheongnam Province, rescuers discovered another victim unresponsive in a flooded vehicle and were unable to revive him.

By 5 p.m. local time (0800 GMT), portions of South Chungcheong had recorded more than 400 mm of rain since Wednesday, marking a new regional record, the ministry said. The Korea Meteorological Administration has forecast further downpours Thursday night, maintaining high alert levels.

The Korea Forest Service elevated landslide warnings to their highest tier across several provinces, including Chungcheong, as saturated slopes became increasingly unstable.

In Gwangju, some 267 km south of the capital, Yonhap News Agency reported that 87 roads and 38 buildings were inundated within two hours of a torrential rain warning. The deluge forced the closure of 403 schools and caused property damage at 166 educational institutions, according to the Ministry of Education.

Authorities continue to monitor riverbanks, infrastructure and vulnerable communities, urging residents to heed evacuation orders and exercise caution as the heavy rains persist.