Seoul: At least four people were killed, six people were injured, and approximately 1,500 people were evacuated as wildfires fueled by strong winds have scorched areas of the nation’s southeastern region, disaster authorities reported Sunday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the fire began in Sancheong County, about 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Friday and has since spread to other areas. Among the six people who were injured, five sustained serious injuries, with all victims located in Sancheong, as stated by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
Lee Han-kyung, deputy chief of the disaster control tower, has instructed fire authorities to utilize all available resources in order to bring the wildfires under control swiftly. He emphasized the rapid spread of wildfires due to dry weather conditions, which pose a threat to people’s lives, during a disaster response meeting. Lee pledged all-out efforts to extinguish the fires.
Currently, a total of 3,286.11 hectares of land has been burned, which is equivalent to approximately 4,600 football fields. More than 1,000 hectares were destroyed in both Euiseong in North Gyeongsang Province and Sancheong. Authorities continue their efforts to contain the fires, with about 1,500 residents evacuated to temporary shelters.
As of 8 a.m., firefighters were actively working to extinguish wildfires in four areas across the southeastern region.