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South Korea floods leave 13 dead

Flooding from South Korea's longest spell of monsoon rain in seven years has forced more than 1,000 people to flee their homes.

On Tuesday (August 4), authorities said at least 13 people were killed in landslides and in cars that had been swept away.

Heavy rain inundated farmland and flooded parts of key highways and bridges in the capital, Seoul.

President Moon Jae-in expressed concern for public workers battling the coronavirus pandemic after 42 days of rain.

He urged "all-out efforts to prevent further loss of life" by national and regional authorities.

It included action to prevent landslides - and further evacuations, even in cases of little apparent danger.

The heavy rains seen in South Korea have also battered parts of China, Thailand, Myanmar and India in recent days.

And in neighboring North Korea, state media warned of possible flooding, saying that some areas were also experiencing heavy rainfall.