South Korea Battles Devastating Wildfires: Death Toll Rises

In South Korea, deadly wildfires claimed 18 lives and injured 10 people, fueling concerns as flames ravage southeastern regions. With strong winds pushing the fires through 17,000 hectares, officials intensify efforts to control the blazes, relocating prisons and deploying thousands of firefighters and helicopters.

As South Korea grapples with a series of deadly wildfires sweeping across its southeastern region, the death toll has escalated to 18, with authorities recording one person missing, according to the Yonhap News Agency. The fires began in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, progressing eastward to Uiseong while nearing populated areas such as Andong and Cheongsong, exacerbated by strong, dry gusts.

The victims' grim tally comprises two found in Andong, three in Cheongsong, six in Yeongyang, and seven in Yeongdeok. One more individual remains unaccounted for in Cheongsong. Additionally, 10 have sustained injuries, two of which are serious. In a harrowing discovery, four out of the five victims in Yeongyang perished in the flames while on a road late Tuesday night.

Faced with worsening conditions, South Korea's acting President Han Duck-soo has called for an exhaustive response to curb what he described as "the worst wildfires ever seen" in the area. The fires have claimed 17,000 hectares of forest and razed 209 homes and factories, according to Han's reports to Yonhap News Agency.

One casualty of the flames was the historic Goun Temple in Uiseong, an edifice dating back to the Silla Dynasty in 681, though fortunately, its relics had been moved to safety prior to the fire. Thousands of firefighters are engaged in battling the intense blaze, supported by a fleet of helicopters and firefighting vehicles.

Since the calamity's onset last Friday, around 5,000 military troops and 146 helicopters have converged to aid suppression efforts. Additionally, the Justice Ministry has relocated 500 inmates from a facility in North Gyeongsang Province to escape the fire's reach, down from an initially planned 3,500 as some fires began to subside.

(With inputs from agencies.)