At least 18 people have been killed and 19 injured as South Korea’s wildfires continue to ravage the country’s southeast, according to the latest numbers from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
The unprecedented crisis remains critical, according to acting president Han Duck-soo, who said the fires are rewriting the record books for the worst wildfires in our nation’s history.
More than 23,000 people have been evacuated and several heritage cultural sites affected, including a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple that was destroyed.
A firefighting helicopter crashed in the mountains of Uiseong county just after midday on Wednesday, according to authorities, who are investigating the cause.
Thousands of firefighters and about 5,000 military personnel have been deployed to contain multiple blazes, as well as helicopters from the US military stationed in Korea.
BBC
