Prime Minister Han Deok-soo instructed the government Friday to make all-out efforts to prevent damage from heavy rains, emphasizing that preventing casualties should be the top priority.

Han gave the instruction during an emergency response meeting with relevant government officials, as most parts of the country were under heavy rain advisories due to torrential downpours.

"All public officials should remain alert and respond until the end of the monsoon, with the focus on prioritizing the prevention of casualties," Han said, as quoted by his office during the meeting.

Heavy rains have left approximately 4,000 households in Seoul without electricity and forced 134 people nationwide to evacuate. The wider capital area is expected to experience additional downpours of up to 50 millimeters per hour.

Until Saturday, southern parts of Gyeonggi Province, southern inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, Chungcheong Province, and North Jeolla Province are predicted to receive accumulated precipitation of up to 200 mm.

Han also urged other relevant agencies, including the police and firefighting authorities, to activate an all-out response system to promptly restore any emergency situations, such as power outages and damaged roads.

Furthermore, Han emphasized the need for government officials to thoroughly prepare for the possibility of North Korea releasing water from a dam near the inter-Korean border. The North has previously released water from Hwanggang Dam without prior notice to the Seoul government. (Yonhap)