At least 18 people have been reported dead, and more than 27,000 have been evacuated as wildfires ravage across South Korea. This is the worst of such disaster in the country’s history. Fueled by strong winds and dry conditions, the wildfires have scorched over 36,300 acres of land and destroyed more than 200 structures.
Read more: Four Confirmed Dead in South Korea’s wildfires
The most severe fires are in the southeastern with Sancheong, Hadong, Uiseong, and Andong counties greatly affected. The Uiseong-Andong fire which started on March 22, has been the most destructive, burning over 16,280 hectares and causing 10 deaths. The Sancheong-Hadong fire, which began on March 21, has claimed four lives and devastated 1,615 hectares.
Acting President Han Duck-soo has declared several provinces as disaster zones and vowed to deploy all available resources to combat the fires. But efforts were hindered by the crash of a firefighting helicopter in Uiseong that resulted in the death of the pilot and a temporary suspension of aerial operations.
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The fires have also reached cultural sites like the UNESCO World Heritage site Andong Hahoe folk village, forcing residents to evacuate. The government has called for a coordinated national response, emphasizing the need to “assume the worst-case scenario and respond accordingly.”
The death toll and damage are expected to rise as the fires continue.
