South Korea fires kill at least 18 people
The crews of the South Korean firefighters fought what the interim president On Wednesday he said they were some of the worst fires ever in the country. At least 18 people died, according to the authorities, since strong winds and dry conditions have contributed to feeding fires.
Two ancient Buddhist temples were among the over 200 buildings damaged or destroyed by Fires started on Friday. Tens of thousands of acres have been burned in the southern -East of the country, said the government, and over 27,000 people evacuated, including about 500 detained from a prison.
Eight fires were still burning on Wednesday morning, compared to six on Monday.
In addition to the victims, at least 19 people were injured, you are seriously, said the Ministry of the Interior on Wednesday. Many of those who died had about 60 and 70s, said a local police officer in a briefing. The government observed that 43,000 acres had been damaged.
The fires seemed to “beat the record for the worst fires ever,” said the interim president Han Duck-Soo, who was just this week restored After being accused in December. In a statement, his office said that the fires were spreading beyond the initial forecasts.
Among the people evacuated by their homes there were residents of the 600 year old Andong Hahoe Folk VillageAn UNESCO World Heritage Site more than 130 miles south -est of Seoul. The inhabitants of the village described the fire as “the devil” on social media and expressed frustration due to the lack of success in making it out.
Flames and smoke damaged 209 buildings throughout the region, according to the Ministry’s declaration, including two temples. Videos from local news The stations showed hell surrounding and closed on temples, both more than 1,000 years.
The Korea heritage service declared on social media on Wednesday that some treasures from one, the temple of Goodsa, including a statue of Buddha of stone, had been removed before the fire reached it.
Local officials closed the roads and suspended train services and some places lost energy.
The government said that the firefighters contained almost 70 percent of the largest flame in the county of Euiseong, west of the popular village. Their efforts were slowed down from twenty of 56 miles per hour from Tuesday afternoon, which prevented them from mobilizing helicopters and drones.
The first fire began on Friday afternoon in the County of Sancheong, about 160 miles south -east of the capital. The Ministry of the Interior said he was investigating the statements that a farmer’s Tosaerba had started.
The separate fires broke out in the counties and in the nearby cities in the following days by episodes in a cemetery and in a garbage incinerator. The officials attributed the rapid diffusion of fires to dry weather conditions.
The Ministry of Justice has declared that it had transferred about 500 prisoners to the province of North Gyeongsang during the night on Tuesday, according to Yonhap News.
