South Korea battles worst ever wildfires as death toll hits 26

Firefighters using helicopters were struggling to contain South Korea’s worst ever wildfires on Thursday that have ravaged the southeastern province of North Gyeongsang, with the death toll from the blazes reaching 26 and injuring another 30, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Some 36,000 hectares of woodland have been burned, Yonhap reported citing government data. It is nearly 13,000 ha more than the 23,794 ha damaged by the east coast wildfires in 2000, which were the worst in South Korea’s history at the time, according to Yonhap.

About 37,000 people have been displaced.

Acting President Han Duck-soo instructed acting Interior Minister Ko Ki-dong to oversee relief efforts for wildfire victims until the blazes are brought under control.