Seoul, 18 July 2025 (dpa/MIA) - At least four people have died and another was missing after days of heavy rains in central and western South Korea, news agency Yonhap reported on Friday, citing local officials.

More than 5,000 people had evacuated their homes as of Friday morning, Yonhap reported, adding that damage to some 500 public properties and some 270 private ones had been reported amid flooded roads and collapsed river embankments.

On Thursday, the government in Seoul set the weather alert to the highest level amid the ongoing heavy rainfall, Yonhap said. The country's weather agency KMA forecast more rain in central and western South Korea for Friday.

The Korea Times, citing the KMA, reported that more than 400 millimetres of rain fell on the city of Seosan, in the country's eastern province of South Chungcheong, in over just half a day. The paper quoted the government agency as describing the deluge as a "once-in-a-century" event.

Photo: EPA