South Korea: death toll from forest fires rises to 18, firefighter pilot killed
Kyiv • UNN
As a result of large-scale forest fires in South Korea, 18 people died, and another one is missing. The fire destroyed thousands of hectares of forest and hundreds of buildings.
The death toll from a wave of wildfires that swept through southeastern South Korea has risen to 18, with one person missing and a pilot killed in a firefighting helicopter crash, officials at the country's forestry service said Wednesday, as firefighters are still struggling to contain the rapidly spreading flames, UNN reports citing Yonhap.
Details
The fires, which began in Sancheong County in South Gyeongsang Province last Friday, spread to neighboring Uiseong and advanced to neighboring Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok, amid strong and dry winds.
According to officials, two of the victims were found in Andong, 3 in Cheongsong, 6 in Yeongyang and 7 in Yeongdeok. One person is missing in Cheongsong.
Another 10 people were injured, two of them seriously.
In Yeongyang, four of the five victims were found burned on the road at about 11 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
South Korean Acting President Han Duck-soo on Wednesday called for all efforts to prevent the further spread of deadly wildfires, calling them "the worst wildfires in history."
So far, the fires have destroyed 17,000 hectares of forest and 209 homes and factories, Han said.
The flames destroyed Goeun Temple in Iseong, an ancient temple built in 681 during the Silla Dynasty (57 BC - 935 AD). National treasures stored in the temple were moved to other locations.
Thousands of firefighters and dozens of helicopters and vehicles were involved in fighting the fires.
A fire helicopter with one pilot crashed on Wednesday while extinguishing a large forest fire in the southeastern county of Iseong, killing the pilot, authorities said.
According to the Korea Forest Service, the helicopter crashed on a mountain in Iseong, located about 180 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at 12:54 p.m. local time.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, authorities said.
Since last Friday, the military has deployed about 5,000 troops and 146 helicopters to fight forest fires raging in the southeastern region.
The country's Ministry of Justice said about 500 prisoners in North Gyeongsang Province were transferred to another facility overnight to escape the flames.
