This is a really pretty area of South Korea that is unfortunately being scorched by this large wildfires:
A series of fires wreaked havoc on eastern coastal cities in Gangwon Province, from Thursday night to Friday, killing one person and forcing more than 4,000 to be evacuated from their homes.
Korea Times
The government declared a national disaster Friday morning as the damage mounted up, especially around Goseong; and is also considering designating the affected regions natural disaster areas to provide better support. A state of disaster is proclaimed when there is an urgent need to deploy emergency measures to minimize casualties and damage in the event of a major catastrophe.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the fire in Goseong started by a roadside at around 7:17 p.m. Thursday, and spread quickly to neighboring areas, especially around Sokcho as strong winds fanned the flames.
Earlier in the afternoon, a separate fire broke out on one mountain in Inje, and another near Gangneung at about 11:50 p.m. that spread to Donghae.
A 60-year-old man died from the fire in Goseong, and another was seriously injured while more than 30 people have been treated for minor injuries.
About 130 houses, 11 warehouses and other buildings were destroyed in five towns and counties in the area, and more than 4,000 residents and tourists at holiday destinations in the province were evacuated, according to the authorities.
The Korea Forestry Service said about 250 hectares of forest was burnt down in Goseong alone, nearly the size of 735 soccer fields, as well as another 250 hectares in Gangneung and 25 hectares in Inje.
You can read more at the link, but it is horrible to see so many people lose their homes, hopefully no one loses their life due to this fire.
A demonstration of timber rafting is under way on the Soyang River in Inje, 165 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on Oct. 9, 2018, in this photo provided by the Inje county office the next day. (Yonhap)
