Seoul: Torrential rains that have swept across South Korea for four consecutive days have resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals, with four others reported missing, and have displaced more than 7,000 residents, officials confirmed on Saturday. Weather authorities have issued warnings of further downpours expected to impact the nation.

According to Yonhap News Agency, earlier on Saturday, a landslide in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, claimed the life of one person after heavy rains led to the collapse of two houses in a village. Search and rescue operations are ongoing as authorities continue to look for two individuals who went missing in the debris. In response to the landslide, the National Fire Agency has issued a nationwide firefighting mobilization order.

Central and local government authorities have documented five fatalities and four missing persons since the rains began on Wednesday. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters is anticipated to release updated official figures concerning casualties and damage assessments later in the day.

Weather forecasts predict up to 250 millimeters of additional rain within the day, raising alarms about potential further damage and casualties. Consequently, evacuation orders were issued for 7,029 residents from 4,995 households, with over 2,800 individuals still unable to return to their homes.

The relentless downpours have wreaked havoc, inundating roads, triggering landslides, and flooding homes nationwide. Overnight, regions experienced extreme rainfall, with Incheon's Yeongheung Island receiving 98.5 mm of rain within just one hour, while Boseong in South Jeolla Province recorded 88 mm.

Some regions have already experienced more than 40 percent of their annual average rainfall over the past four days. Seosan, for instance, recorded 558.6 mm of rain from Wednesday to Friday morning, equivalent to 45 percent of its annual average.

Public infrastructure has suffered significant damage, with 729 cases reported, including 388 flooded roads, 133 landslides, and 57 river facility collapses. Private property damage has reached 1,014 cases, comprising 64 flooded buildings and 59 instances of submerged farmland.