South Korea: Four dead, 1,300 evacuated as heavy rain drenches country

The record rainfall has prompted authorities to raise the weather-related disaster alert to its highest level.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveFour dead, 1,300 evacuated as heavy rains hit South Korea12 hours agoShareSaveKelly NgBBC NewsReporting fromSingaporeSuhnwook LeeBBC KoreanReporting fromSeoulShareSaveReutersSouth Korea's raised the weather-related disaster alert to its highest levelFour people have died and more than 1,300 evacuated as torrential rain pounds South Korea, with authorities warning that the unseasonal deluge will continue.

Among those killed were two men in their 80s. Authorities believe one of them was trying to drain floodwaters from the basement of his home.

A third victim was crushed when a wall collapsed onto his car. Moments before, he'd called his wife to say the vehicle was "being swept away", authorities say. The fourth victim died of a cardiac arrest.

"I couldn't understand how something like this could happen," says Kim Ha-min, a cafe owner in the city of Gwangju. She says this is the first time she has experienced such heavy rain.

The record rainfall has prompted South Korea's government to raise the weather-related disaster alert to its highest level.