Seoul: At least four people were killed, six people were injured, and approximately 1,500 individuals were evacuated as wildfires, driven by strong winds, ravaged areas of the nation's southeastern region, disaster authorities reported Sunday. The blaze began in Sancheong County, roughly 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Friday and rapidly spread to other regions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, five of the six injured individuals sustained serious injuries, with all victims located in Sancheong. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters provided this information as they coordinated response efforts. Lee Han-kyung, deputy chief of the disaster control tower, directed fire authorities to deploy all available resources to manage and contain the wildfires swiftly.
Lee emphasized the urgency of the situation during a disaster response meeting, noting that the wildfires were expanding quickly due to dry weather conditions and posed significant threats to human lives. Firefighters have been working diligently to control the fires, utilizing approximately 30 helicopters in their efforts. As of early Sunday, authorities reported that the fire in Sancheong was about 30 percent contained.
The wildfires have scorched a total of 3,286.11 hectares of land, an area equivalent to around 4,600 football fields. Among the affected areas, more than 1,000 hectares were destroyed in Euiseong in North Gyeongsang Province and Sancheong. The ongoing threat has led to the evacuation of about 1,500 residents to temporary shelters as containment efforts continue.
By 8 a.m., firefighters were actively working to extinguish wildfires in four areas across the southeastern region, as authorities aimed to prevent further damage and ensure the safety of affected communities.