Sancheong: At least four people were killed, six were injured, and approximately 1,500 residents were evacuated as wildfires, intensified by strong winds, swept through Korea’s southeastern region, according to disaster authorities.
According to Emirates News Agency, the fires started in Sancheong County, located about 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Friday and have since spread to surrounding areas. Among the injured, five individuals sustained serious injuries, with all victims reported in Sancheong, as stated by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
Lee Han-kyung, deputy chief of the disaster control tower, directed fire authorities to deploy all available resources to swiftly manage the wildfires. “Wildfires are rapidly spreading to broader regions due to dry weather, threatening people’s lives,” Lee emphasized during a disaster response meeting, pledging comprehensive efforts to extinguish the fires.
Firefighters have faced challenges in containing the blazes, with approximately 30 helicopters deployed to combat the flames. Authorities reported that the fire in Sancheong was about 30 percent contained as of early Sunday. So far, a total of 3,286.11 hectares of land, equivalent to roughly 4,600 football fields, has been scorched, with over 1,000 hectares destroyed in Euiseong in North Gyeongsang Province and Sancheong.
Approximately 1,500 residents have been relocated to temporary shelters as efforts to control the fires continue. As of 8 am, firefighting teams were actively working to extinguish wildfires in four areas across the southeastern region.
