Rain-battered South Korea witnesses 14 deaths due to landslides

South Korea is witnessing its longest monsoon in seven years that has triggered floods and landslides in the country. 14 people have been killed and over 1,000 people have been forced to leave their homes after 42 consecutive days of rain, as per authorities said on Tuesday. 

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The rain has battered many South Asian countries like India, China, Myanmar and Thailand. Now, the rain has flooded major highways, bridges and farmlands in South Korea's capital Seoul.

Three New Zealanders from the same family were among the victims of the landslide. They were found dead on Monday after a landslide hit vacation cottages in Gapyeong country, northeast of Seoul.

According to a Gapyeong police official, the deceased were a woman believed to be 65, her 36-year-old daughter and her three-year-old grandson. The New Zealand foreign ministry is aware of the deaths and is providing consular access. 

South Korean President Moon Jae-in expressed his concerns for the record-breaking heavy rains. He urged "all-out efforts to prevent further loss of life", such as action to avert landslides and evacuate people, even in cases of little apparent danger.

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According to Yonhap news agency, infrastructure along the Han River in Seoul that was damaged due to floods were back in operation on Tuesday. 

Their neighbours North Korea has warned its citizens of possible flooding. "All the sectors of the national economy... are taking steps to prevent damage from the downpour," state news agency KCNA said, saying that some areas were predicted to receive as much as half a metre (20 inches) of rain.

Some anonymous South Korean government officials told Yonhap that North Korea opened the floodgates of a border dam on Monday without advance notice to its neighbour.

(Inputs from Reuters)