Intense rainfall has battered central and southern parts of South Korea, leaving two people dead and forcing the evacuation of around 1,000 residents, officials said on Thursday. Authorities have raised the alert level in Chungcheong and southern Gyeonggi provinces, warning of further downpours through the weekend.

A fatal accident occurred in Osan, 52 km south of Seoul, where a retaining wall collapsed onto a moving car on Wednesday, killing the driver. In another incident, a man was found in cardiac arrest inside a flooded vehicle in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, early Thursday and later died at the hospital.

Seosan has emerged as the worst-hit area, with a staggering 344 mm of rain falling since Wednesday. A record 114.9 mm fell in just one hour between 1:46 a.m. and 2:46 a.m., the highest hourly rainfall in July since local records began in 1968.

Two people sustained minor injuries due to hypothermia in Seosan and Buyeo. A landslide in Cheongyang briefly trapped two residents, who were later rescued and taken to the hospital with leg injuries.

In Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, 67.4 mm of rainfall was recorded per hour, marking the second-highest hourly rainfall regionally. As of 7 a.m. Thursday, 26 heavy rain alerts were issued nationwide, with 25 concentrated in the Chungcheong area.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) expects continued rainfall through Saturday. Forecasts predict 50–150 mm of rain in the greater Seoul and Chungcheong areas, 30–100 mm in North Jeolla, and up to 200 mm in southern cities like Busan and Ulsan by Friday.

Authorities are urging caution as landslides, flooding, and transportation disruptions remain significant threats.