South Korea is battling some of the worst wildfires it has seen in history. As of Wednesday, the Ministry of Interior and Safety stated that at least 24 people have been declared dead and over 27,000 residents have been evacuated.
As per acting president Han Duck-soo, the fires are "rewriting the record books for the worst wildfires in our nation's history". In response to the massive fires, the national fire agency has also raised the crisis to the highest response level.
South Korea Wildfires | Top Updates
The wildfires, which are very uncommon in South Korea, have destroyed 17,000 hectares of forest.
As per the Interior Ministry, the death toll has increased to 24, with 19 people injured. Of this, one death has been attributed to a pilot flying a firefighting helicopter.
The blaze, which is primarily in the southern region of the nation, has also burned down several historical sites such as the Gounsa Temple, built in 618 AD in the Uiseong region.
The worst-hit areas include Andong, Uiseong, Sancheong and Ulsan, where firefighters continue to struggle as dry, gusty winds allow the fire to spread.
The official cause of the wildfires is underway, however, officials have suspected it was cased by human activities such as construction work.
As the government deploys a national emergency response to the fires, thousands of firefighters and, 5,000 military personnel have been deployed to contain multiple blazes across the region.
Helicopters from the US military stationed in Korea have also been called into action.
