Elderly Woman Found Dead in Cheongsong Due to Wildfires in South Korea

Synopsis

On March 25, a woman in her 60s was discovered burned to death in Cheongsong, South Korea, amidst raging wildfires. Despite evacuation efforts, she tragically succumbed to the flames. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death as efforts to control the wildfires intensify.

Key Takeaways

Victim: 65-year-old woman found deceased.
Location: Cheongsong, South Korea.
Cause: Believed to be due to wildfire during evacuation.
Government Response: Acting President Han Duck-soo calls for urgent evacuation efforts.
Fire Spread: Wildfires originating from Sancheong County threaten nearby regions.

Cheongsong, March 25 (NationPress) Authorities in South Korea reported on Tuesday that the charred remains of a woman in her 60s were discovered alongside a road in the southeastern region of Cheongsong, where extensive wildfires are currently raging.

The victim, a 65-year-old whose name has not been disclosed, was found by a passerby around 7 pm near a major road in the locality, according to police statements.

It seems she was attempting to evacuate by car following an evacuation order issued by local officials. Upon discovery, she appeared to have exited the vehicle, police noted.

Authorities believe that the victim succumbed to the wildfire while trying to evacuate, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.

"We are also probing to determine if there were any additional factors contributing to her death," an official remarked.

Earlier that day, South Korea's Acting President Han Duck-soo directed regional administrations to exert every possible effort to evacuate individuals from areas affected by the wildfires in the southeast of the country.

This directive followed the rapid spread of wildfires that ignited in Sancheong County on Friday, exacerbated by strong, dry winds, which escalated the risk of human casualties as the flames advanced towards Andong city and Cheongsong County.

Han urged local governments to "deploy all available administrative resources to ensure residents in endangered areas can swiftly relocate to safe zones," according to his office.

He ordered relevant agencies, including the Korea Forest Service, the National Fire Agency, and the defense ministry, to mobilize all equipment and personnel to extinguish the wildfires as quickly as feasible.

Han also emphasized the importance of "thorough preparedness of firefighting personnel and equipment," while prioritizing the safety of the firefighting teams and maintaining control to avert any accidents, his office added.

A few hours later, Han visited the central disaster control headquarters at the interior ministry in Seoul to assess government responses and the extent of damage incurred from the fires thus far, his office revealed.