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Devastating Wildfires Sweep Across Southeast South Korea
South Korea is reeling from an unprecedented wildfire crisis that has claimed at least 18 lives and left 19 others injured, as reported by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The situation has escalated to a critical point, with acting president Han Duck-soo describing the disaster as “rewriting the record books for the worst wildfires in our nation’s history.”
More than 23,000 individuals have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the rapidly spreading flames, which have also engulfed several significant cultural locations. Among the impacted sites is a historic Buddhist temple, dated back 1,300 years, that has been completely destroyed.
Authorities are currently investigating a crash that occurred involving a firefighting helicopter in the mountainous region of Uiseong County shortly after midday on Wednesday, further complicating firefighting efforts.
To combat the blazes, approximately 5,000 military personnel and thousands of firefighters have been mobilized. The response is also bolstered by helicopters from the U.S. military, which are stationed in South Korea.
The national fire agency announced on Tuesday that it has elevated the wildfire emergency status to the highest level of response for the first time this year, highlighting the severity of the current crisis.
Historically, wildfires are relatively rare in South Korea, and fatalities from them are even more uncommon. The fires currently ravaging the nation have already emerged as the deadliest in history, killing 18 people in a matter of days. Approximately 17,000 hectares of forest land have been devastated, marking this incident as the third largest in terms of area affected by wildfires in the country’s record.
Among the most significant losses is the Gounsa Temple in Uiseong, which was built in 618 AD and held considerable cultural importance as one of the largest temples in the region. Additionally, authorities confirmed the loss of a national treasure from the Joseon Dynasty, a prominent architectural structure that has now been reduced to ashes.
President Han has stated that all available resources and personnel have been enlisted in the firefighting efforts; however, strong winds have posed formidable challenges to containing the fires. “We were desperately hoping for rain today or tomorrow to help extinguish the flames,” he expressed. “This level of wildfire damage is unlike anything we’ve experienced before.”
Unfortunately, forecasts indicate no rainfall in the region on Wednesday, with only a minor amount of 5 to 10mm expected the following day, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Once the immediate crisis is under control, Han pledged that the government would conduct a thorough evaluation of its response to the wildfires and seek improvements in prevention strategies. “Once a wildfire starts, extinguishing it requires tremendous resources and puts precious lives in danger,” he noted.
The current wildfires are exacerbated by drier-than-normal weather conditions, with South Korea experiencing significantly less rainfall than usual. So far this year, 244 wildfires have been recorded, which is 2.4 times higher than the same period last year.
In response to the increasing threat posed by wildfires, the government has vowed to tighten regulations against illegal burning—one of the primary triggers of such disasters—and to address individual negligence in fire safety.
The situation remains dynamic, as the fires, which ignited last Friday in Sancheong County, have since spread to nearby cities, including Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok.
Source
www.bbc.com