Wildfires in South Korea aren’t common, but since Friday, several have been blazing across parts of the country due to strong winds and dry conditions, destroying buildings and killing 27 people.
It’s thought the fires were caused by accident as a result of human error, so far spreading to almost 36,000 hectares. While it looks like a shift in the weather might help get the situation under control, this is obviously very worrying if you have a trip booked. So, here is everything you need to know about travelling to South Korea right now.
State of emergency declared in as wildfires burn across South Korea
Since Friday March 21, fires have been burning across the regions of Sancheong, Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok in South Korea, and while some are now under control, the burnt land has reached nearly 36,000 hectares, making them the ‘largest fires on record’.
The interior ministry has said the fires were started by a farmer’s lawnmower, but have spread rapidly due to drier-than-normal conditions in South Korea, with low rainfall and strong, dry winds. According to the BBC, it’s these winds and the strength of the fires that has made them hard to tackle, even by helicopter.
Twenty0seven people have died so far – most of these being people in their 60s and 70s – including the pilot of a firefighting helicopter that crashed trying to tackle the blaze. A further 29 people have been injured, eight of these seriously, according to the New York Times.
More than 27,000 people have been evacuated, and local authorities have closed off roads, suspended trains and some parts of the affected region lost access to power.
What’s the latest Foreign Office Travel advice for the region?
The UK Foreign Office’s travel advice page for South Korea reads: ‘Forest fires are ongoing in the south-eastern part of South Korea. Some evacuation orders and road closures have been imposed. You should pay close attention to warnings from local authorities and follow any safety instructions that they issue. Korean-language emergency alerts will automatically be sent to your mobile phone, and English-language translations of emergency alerts can be accessed on the National Disaster and Safety Portal and in the Emergency Ready App.
You can track the location and progress of fires through the Korea Forest Service website in English and Korean. Contact the South Korean authorities by calling 119 if you need emergency assistance.’
The wildfires are not near Seoul, South Korea’s capital city.
Which temples have been destroyed in the South Korea wildfires?
In the Uiseong region of the country, the BBC has reported that a 1,300-year-old Gounsa Temple, built in 618 AD, has been destroyed. It was one of the largest temples in the area. The BBC reports that a Buddhist architectural structure which dates back to the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) has also been destroyed.
The Korea Heritage service said that artefacts such as a stone Buddha statue had been removed before the fire reached the temple, in an announcement on social media.
Elsewhere, among the 27,000 people evacuated were the residents of Andong Hahoe folk village, a 600-year old UNESCO-protected village, around 210km southeast of Seoul in the Andong region.
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