Thousands Forced to Flee after South Korea's Wildfire (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Thousands of firefighters and military personnel in South Korea are engaged in a major operation to contain wildfires which have so far killed at least one person and forced over 4,000 people to flee their homes.
The fires broke out in eastern Gangwon Province on Thursday evening from a transformer spark near a resort, according to Choi Jin-ho, a fire captain at Gangwon Fire Headquarters. The fire then spread to the cities of Sokcho and Gangneung, burning about 525 hectares and around 198 homes, warehouses and other buildings by early Friday, the government said.
About 2,263 people have been evacuated to gymnasiums and schools by early Friday, down from about 4,230 citizens earlier, and 52 schools were closed due to the fires, Al Jazeera reported.
A video by South Korean Yonhap News shows apocalyptic footage of the incedent.
