Severe wet weather in South Korea eased on Monday following days of torrential rain that triggered floods and landslides and left at least 18 people dead, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on Monday.

Days of heavy rain swept away cars, homes and businesses in multiple cities in South Korea. Thousands of people were evacuated across the southern region as some areas received as much as 31 inches of rain.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Monday expressed condolences to the victims of recent heavy rains in South Korea, the Japanese Embassy in Seoul said. Iwaya sent a condolence message to Foreign Minister Cho Hyun after heavy rains and landslides ravaged the country last week,