South Korea: Four killed as wildfires ravage southeastern region
At least four people were killed, six people were injured and some 1,500 people were evacuated as wildfires fueled by strong winds have scorched areas of the South Korea's southeastern region
- SEOUL — At least four people were
killed, six people were injured and some 1,500 people were evacuated as
wildfires fueled by strong winds have scorched areas of the South Korea's
southeastern region, disaster authorities said on Sunday.
-
- The fire began in Sancheong County, about 250 kilometres
southeast of Seoul, on Friday and spread to other parts.
-
- Of the six people who were injured, five were seriously
harmed. All victims were found in Sancheong, according to the Central Disaster
and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
-
- Lee Han-kyung, deputy chief of the disaster control tower,
instructed fire authorities to mobilise all available resources to promptly
bring the wildfires under control.
-
- "Wildfires are rapidly spreading to broader regions due
to dry weather, threatening people's lives," Lee said in a disaster
response meeting, vowing all-out efforts to put out the fires.
-
- Firefighters have been struggling to contain the fires, with
about 30 helicopters mobilising to put out them. Authorities said the fire in
Sancheong had been some 30 per cent contained as of early Sunday, Yonhap news
agency reported.
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- A total of 3,286.11 hectares of land -- equivalent to
approximately 4,600 football fields -- has been burned so far, with more than
1,000 hectares destroyed in Euiseong in North Gyeongsang Province and
Sancheong, respectively.
-
- About 1,500 residents have been evacuated to temporary
shelters as authorities continue efforts to contain the fires.
-
- As of 8 a.m., firefighters were working to extinguish
wildfires in four areas across the southeastern region.
-
- The fires are ravaging the country at a time when South
Korea is undergoing some of its greatest political turbulence in decades,
triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law declaration in
December. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is currently leading the country as
the acting president.
