SEOUL, Mar 27: The death toll from ongoing wildfires in southeastern South Korea has reached 26 people, while 30 others sustained injuries, the South Korean Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Yonhap news agency reported 24 deaths from wildfires that began last week.
“As a result of this large forest fire, as of 6:00 on March 27 [21:00 GMT on March 26], the death toll stands at 26 people, with 8 people seriously injured, and 22 people slightly injured,” the ministry said in a statement.
According to the latest data, 325 buildings, including 117 houses, have been damaged. Some 24,000 residents were evacuated to nearby gyms, schools and other shelters, but most of them have already returned home.
There has been no information about Russian citizens injured in the wildfires so far, but the Russian Consulate General in the city of Busan has urged them to remain cautious and avoid visiting disaster areas.
On Tuesday, South Korean media reported, citing forest authorities, that the Gounsa Buddhist temple, which dates back to the 7th century, was destroyed by the fire. The authorities were forced to completely block a number of highways due to smoke, while Buddhist temples located in the mountains urgently evacuated ancient relics to nearby museums. The South Korean authorities also decided to evacuate 3,500 prisoners from the areas engulfed in wildfires. (UNI)
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