At least 14 dead in South Korea floods and landslides

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Efforts to clear debris in Gwangju under way

At least 14 people have died in floods and landslides caused by days of torrential rain in South Korea, the country’s disaster management office has said.

There are fears the death toll could rise as emergency rescue efforts continue, with 12 people reported missing.

Footage showed people wading through thick mud in the landslide-hit resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday as they made their way across a damaged bridge to evacuation shelters.

Further south, an entire village was covered with earth and debris following a landslide in the central Chungcheong region, according to video footage from Saturday.

Much of the destruction has been in the country’s south, with six people killed and seven missing in Sancheong.

Thousands of roads and buildings have been damaged and submerged by raging floodwaters, with reports of damage to farmland and the widespread death of livestock.

Across the region, nearly 10,000 people have evacuated their homes since the downpour began on Wednesday, while more than 41,000 households have temporarily lost power, local media reported.

The rain has largely subsided in the worst-hit southern and central areas, but overnight the downpours moved north, and more heavy rain is still expected in the capital Seoul and northern regions on Sunday.

Credit: bbc.com

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