On Thursday April 4, 2019, a transformer fire started a wildfire in Eastern Gangwon Province. The fires then spread to the cities of Sokcho and Gangneung according to Reuters. According to the Gangwon Fire Headquarters, fire broke out on a roadside in Goseong before spreading to a nearby mountain. Strong winds in the region are blamed for the fire’s quick spread.
Meanwhile, a separate fire also started on Thursday April 4 in Okgye County, Gangneung.
The fire in the Sokcho region has been contained, the South Korean government said, while about 50 percent of the fire in the Gangneung region has been contained as of early Friday.
As firefighters continue to contain the flames, one person has been confirmed dead and 11 injured, while 4,000 plus people have been evacuated from the region. The injury toll is expected to climb as firefighters work to extinguish the flames.
“As the wind is especially strong, we are focusing more on reducing casualties than extinguishing the fire,” Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon told Yonhap.
As of Friday April 5, 2019, 52 schools closed, and 2,263 citizens were evacuated to gymnasiums. This number is down from 4,230 citizens on Thursday.
According to the National Fire Agency, 872 fire trucks and 3,251 firefighters from all over South Korea are helping to contain the fire. South Korea’s Ministry of Defense said 16,500 soldiers, 32 military helicopters, and 26 military firetrucks have also been deployed. There are also plans to provide meals for 6,800 people affected by the fires.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said “4 billion won in special subsidies will be issued for containing the fires and cleaning up debris, along with 250 million won in disaster relief funds for temporary accommodation and daily necessities for evacuees.”
Gangwon Province is located close to the North Korean border and the Sea of Japan. According to Aljazeera, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Friday it plans to inform North Korea about the forest fires.
Gangwon Province gained national attention in 2018 when Pyeongchang hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Photo credits: Reuters, The Strait Times
—-Olivia Murray
User Review
( votes)1 response to “Wildfires Rage in South Korea’s Gangwon Province”
Leave a Reply
Related Articles
BTS ‘ARIRANG’ Comeback Event Details
BTS is preparing for a special comeback event in March with “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG,” a global livestream produced in collaboration with Netflix. The event will take place at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21. The comeback will be... Read More
TUNEXX 1st Mini Album – SET BY US ONLY Out Now
LISTEN HERE | WATCH THE “I’M ALIVE” MV HERE Courtesy of: IST Entertainment Emerging with a bold creative vision and a sound all their own, rookie boy group TUNEXX marks their debut with mini album SET BY US ONLY — a powerful... Read More
WOODZ 1st Full Album [Archive. 1] Out Now
Global rockstar WOODZ logs next chapter with 17-track project and 2026 world tour LISTEN HERE | WATCH THE “HUMAN EXTINCTION” MV HERE Courtesy of:: EDAM Entertainment Multi-hyphenate WOODZ releases his long-awaited first full-length... Read More
BOY GROUP BGYO FLEXES CONFIDENCE ON NEW SINGLE “FRESH”
Courtesy of: ABS-CBN Music Listen to “Fresh” by BGYO HERE Watch “Fresh (Official Music Video)” HERE Filipino boy group, BGYO, makes a bold return with their new empowerment anthem, “Fresh,” available now on... Read More
BTS Comeback: Live on Netflix
The long-awaited purple era has officially arrived. In a move that has sent shockwaves through the global music industry, BIGHIT MUSIC and Netflix have confirmed a historic partnership to livestream BTS’s grand return to the stage. On March 21,... Read More
THEBLACKLABEL-COMPOSED “GOLDEN” FROM K-POP DEMON HUNTERS MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST K-POP SONG TO WIN A GRAMMY
Photo Courtesy of Netflix Golden, composed by THEBLACKLABEL’s producer team, TEDDY, 24 and IDO, has made history as the first K-Pop song ever to win a Grammy Award. At the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, held February 1 in Los... Read More
‘KRAZY SUPER CONCERT’ TO HOLD FIRST-EVER DUBAI CONCERT ON FEBRUARY 17
K-pop king G-DRAGON to headline alongside Jay Park, KUN, Kim JongKook, Yein, and Yerin http://krazysuperconcert.com/ One Pulse Group, the global production powerhouse behind S2O America and EDC Korea, announces the next edition of ‘KRAZY Super... Read More
BTS – 2026 Comeback Album & Tour
The long-awaited moment has finally arrived. After nearly four years of solo journeys and the successful completion of their mandatory military service, BTS is officially reuniting for a massive 2026-2027 World Tour and a brand-new studio album. The... Read More
K-Pop Demon Hunters – Wins at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards
K-Pop Demon Hunters, the animated film from Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation, won two awards at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards. The film received Best Motion Picture – Animated and Best Original Song – Motion Picture, making it one of the most... Read More
I can’t believe I hadn’t heard about this until now. I’m praying everyone who had to be evacuated is okay and their homes are okay.
#BTSGiveaway