S.Korea declares national disaster over catastrophic blaze on east coast
The South Korean government declared a state of national disaster Friday over the massive blaze that has engulfed five cities and counties along the northeastern coast, local media reported.
At least one person was killed, and 11 others injured in the devastating fire, which also forced more than 4,000 residents to flee their homes.
The fire broke out at around 7:17 p.m. local time (10:17 GMT) on Thursday on a roadside in Goseong, a northeastern border town some 210 kilometers northeast of the capital Seoul, said the report.
Residents rest at a shelter in the northeastern border town of Goseong, some 210 kilometers from Seoul as a massive fire struck the region a day earlier, April 5, 2019. / VCG Photo
The blaze spread promptly to nearby mountainous regions including the Inje county and the cities of Sokcho, Donghae and Gangneung in Gangwon province due to the strong wind, according to local fire headquarters.
As of Friday morning, the blaze has been extinguished after all-night fire controlling missions.
The precise cause of the blaze remains unclear.