Hadong County in South Korea Urges Residents to Evacuate Amid Wildfire Outbreak
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Synopsis
Authorities in Hadong County, South Korea, are advising residents to evacuate as a wildfire spreads. Firefighters are battling the blaze, which ignited on April 7. High winds may exacerbate the situation, prompting warnings from officials to take precautions against further wildfires.
Key Takeaways
- Residents in Hadong County advised to evacuate.
- Firefighters are working to contain a wildfire.
- A man was injured while attempting to extinguish the fire.
- High winds could lead to further wildfire risks.
- Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze.
Hadong, April 7 (NationPress) Residents of the southern county of Hadong, South Korea, are being urged to evacuate to safe areas on Monday as firefighters strive to manage a spreading wildfire, per reports from local authorities.
The blaze ignited in the mountains of Hadong, located approximately 290 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at 12:05 p.m., as noted by the Korea Forest Service.
Hadong has previously faced devastation from the country’s most severe wildfires, which were brought under control just last month.
The Korea Forest Service has deployed 15 firefighting helicopters alongside 105 personnel to combat the current wildfire.
A man in his 70s was hospitalized due to burns on both hands after attempting to extinguish the fire independently, according to the forest service.
Authorities believe that the man may have inadvertently ignited the fire while using a turf cutter, with investigations into the specific cause of the fire planned once it is fully extinguished, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Earlier in the day, the South Korean government cautioned that predictions of high winds at the beginning of the week could heighten the risk of further major wildfires in eastern coastal regions.
Lee Han-kyung, deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, issued these warnings as agencies worked to contain the nation’s most catastrophic wildfires from last month.
"We anticipate very rapid winds similar to those experienced during the wildfires in North Gyeongsang Province earlier this week," Lee stated.
"We urge everyone to follow regulations to prevent wildfires, such as exercising heightened caution even with small sparks and avoiding possession of fire-related materials or illegal burning activities," Lee added.
According to the interior ministry, powerful winds of up to 20 meters per second (mps) are forecasted to affect coastal areas from 6 p.m. until noon on Tuesday, with winds exceeding 25 mps expected in the mountainous regions of Gangwon Province.
In response to these conditions, the Korea Forest Service and the National Fire Agency will dispatch firefighting teams and helicopters to Gangwon Province and the eastern coastal areas of North Gyeongsang Province.
