The number of gas stations reporting dry pumps across the nation has jumped by nearly 60 percent to 52 from the previous day in the wake of an ongoing unionized truckers’ strike.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, 19 more gas stations have run out of either gasoline or diesel as of 8 a.m. Friday, up from 33 on Thursday. Thirty-two of the total were concentrated in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province.

Meanwhile, disruptions led to a total of one-point-one trillion won in losses in the steel sector, including setbacks in shipments at the country's five major steelmakers estimated at 870 billion won while firms other than the big five have incurred losses of over 200 billion won.

Steel is facing the most devastating fallout among the four major sectors for which the government is tracking damages incurred as a result of the strike, now on its ninth day. The other three are cement, auto and refined oil industries.

The government is considering all available options, including a return-to-work order for oil truckers as repercussions from the walkout continue to exacerbate.