Amid heavy rain alerts for Jeju Island and the nation's central and southern regions, the interior ministry has activated a Level One emergency posture.

According to the ministry on Friday, the emergency posture was activated at 9:30 a.m., while the authorities raised the nation's crisis alert level for heavy rainfall by a notch on its four-tier scale, from the lowest level, "attention," to "caution."

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min urged other concerned ministries to actively inspect and restrict access to underpasses and any areas deemed vulnerable to landslides, and to prioritize the safety of children, older adults and people with disabilities in such locations.

The minister ordered related agencies to use natural disaster texts, broadcasts and other means to keep the public informed about heavy rain warnings and access restrictions for certain areas. 

The Korea Meteorological Administration said Jeju, South Jeolla and South Chungcheong provinces are experiencing over 30 millimeters of rain  per hour.

The mountainous regions of eastern Gangwon Province could see more than 300 millimeters of rain through Sunday, with over 150 millimeters forecast for other parts of the country.