Seosan: Torrential rains exceeding 100 millimeters per hour battered the west coastal area of South Chungcheong Province, causing widespread flooding and residents' evacuation, weather authorities said Thursday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, since Wednesday evening, as much as 344 mm of rain has fallen in Seosan in the province, the hardest-hit area, weather officials reported. In other areas in the province, including Yesan and Dangjin, surging floodwaters have prompted people to evacuate.

Some railway service in the region has been suspended due to the downpours. Parts of the rail service were stopped between Seoul and Daejeon, as well as between Cheonan and Iksan. A total of 302 cases of rain-related damage have been reported so far in the region, according to fire authorities in South Chungcheong Province.