Photo Gallery: Wildfire in South Korea Continues to Spread, Death Toll Rises to 19

In South Korea’s southeastern region, a forest fire that has been raging for several days continues to spread to nearby areas with the help of strong winds, constantly setting new records for the extent of the fire. As of now, it has claimed the lives of 19 people and left 19 others injured.

According to reports from the South Korean news agency, a forest fire broke out in Uiseong County in North Gyeongsang Province last Saturday (March 22), and the fire subsequently spread to many surrounding areas. Currently, firefighting departments are carrying out fire extinguishing operations in six areas including Sancheong-gun and Hadong-gun in South Gyeongsang Province, Uiseong County and Andong City in North Gyeongsang Province, Wonyang-myeon and Yangyang-myeon in Ulsan Metropolitan City, with the affected area reaching a staggering 17,534 hectares, where Uiseong and Andong are the most severely affected.

At the same time, this large-scale mountain fire has resulted in damage to over 200 buildings including houses, factories, temples, and cultural heritage sites, forcing more than 27,000 people to evacuate urgently.

According to data released by the South Korean Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, as of 9 a.m. today (March 26), the forest fire in the Gyeongsang Province region of the southeastern part of the country has claimed 18 lives and left 19 injured, including 6 in serious condition and 13 with minor injuries.

Furthermore, according to the latest information from the South Korean forestry authorities, around 12:51 p.m. today, an S-76 helicopter crashed while extinguishing a forest fire at Shinpyeong Bridge, Anni-dong, Uiseong County in North Gyeongsang Province, resulting in the death of the pilot. The relevant authorities are currently investigating the exact cause of the accident and the personal information of the pilot.