One person died and 11 others were injured after a massive fire engulfed five cities along northeastern coast in South Korea on Thursday. The fire started in the northeast border town of Goseong.
The fire quickly spread by the strong winds to nearby mountain regions in the Gangwon province. Many cities including the cities of Sokcho, Donghae and Gangneung and Inje County were engulfed by the blaze. Looking at the intensity of the disaster, the nation has declared a national emergency.
According to media reports, the fire has spread to an area of 250 hectares. More than 4,000 residents have been evacuated so far. Also, 120 houses have been destroyed by the fire. The government officials briefed the media that more than 870 fire tenders from across the country have been pressed into service to bring the situation under control. Also, more than 10,000 personnel including 3,500 firefighters have been deployed.Rescue and mitigation efforts are still underway.