Anchor: On the sixth day of efforts to combat wildfires in the country’s southeastern Gyeongsang region, the overall death toll has risen to 24, with 26 more people injured. Calling the latest wildfires the worst ever in the nation’s history, acting President Han Duck-soo addressed the public, pledging all-out efforts to contain the fires and prevent any more blazes.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters tentatively tallied the death toll at 24 - four in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province and 20 in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province.

The latest wildfires have so far injured 26 people, including 12 in serious condition.

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, 27-thousand-79 residents had evacuated the affected areas, with 209 damaged homes, factories, temples and cultural assets.

Authorities said some 17-thousand-500 hectares of land have been struck by the wildfires in six regions in the Gyeongsang provinces, of which fires have been extinguished over only around 136 hectares.

In an address to the nation, acting President Han Duck-soo said the situation remains critical as the government mobilized all available personnel and equipment to put out what he called the worst fires in the nation’s history.

Saying the damage has reached unprecedented levels, the acting president called for all-out efforts to prevent further wildfires in light of a potential shortage of firefighting resources.

He said after the fires are extinguished, the government will review its wildfire response and prevention measures.

At a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters prior to the public address, Han ordered state agencies to prepare for a worst-case scenario and respond accordingly, as the fires are unfolding in a way that defies existing prediction models.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.