Seoul: Heavy rains poured on Seoul and central South Korea on Wednesday, leading to a retaining wall collapse that resulted in the death of a driver, alongside road flooding and other damages, authorities reported.

According to Yonhap News Agency, cumulative rainfall by 9 p.m. reached 149.5 millimeters in the southwestern city of Gunsan, 131.0 mm in Boryeong, and 78.5 millimeters in Incheon's Ongjin County, as recorded by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Among Seoul districts, Jongno recorded the highest cumulative rainfall at over 63.3 mm. The state weather agency has forecasted heavy rainfall across the country until Thursday, with southern Gyeonggi Province expected to experience downpours of more than 200 millimeters per hour.

The interior ministry has activated the Level 1 operation of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for the greater Seoul area and Chungcheong Province as of 3 p.m. In Osan, 52 kilometers south of Seoul, a 10-meter-high retaining wall at Gajang intersection collapsed onto a road around 7:04 p.m., burying a vehicle. Gyeonggi fire authorities reported finding the driver, a man in his 40s, in cardiac arrest under the debris after hours of rescue operations.

At approximately 8:06 p.m., a bus in Guri, just east of Seoul, had its rear wheel stuck in a 50-centimeter deep pothole, although no injuries were reported. Local authorities noted 27 emergency calls related to heavy rain in South Chungcheong Province, including six cases of road flooding, three cases of residential flooding, and 18 other incidents such as fallen trees. In Incheon, 15 rain-related damage reports, including road flooding, were filed via the 119 emergency hotline by 9 p.m., with no casualties reported.

Vice Interior Minister Kim Min-jae has urged authorities to implement thorough measures to minimize damage and respond preemptively to prevent casualties. Kim also advised the public to stay informed about the weather and avoid dangerous areas like those prone to landslides and underground facilities. As a precaution, authorities have closed 29 urban streams, four riverside parking lots in Seoul, and other public parks and streams in affected regions nationwide.