South Korea declares national disaster as winds fan giant wildfire

A giant wildfire swept across swathes of South Korea's eastern coast on Friday (Apr 5), as authorities declared a rare national disaster, deploying 900 fire engines and tens of thousands of personnel to bring it under control.

This picture taken on Apr 4, 2019 shows a forest fire raging near a town in Sokcho. (Photo: AFP/Kangwon Ilbo)

Apocalyptic images on television and social media showed walls of flame lighting up the night, buildings engulfed in flames, and clouds of smoke billowing across hillsides during the day.

This picture taken on April 4, 2019 shows a forest fire raging near a town in Goseong. (Photo: AFP/Kangwon Ilbo)

This picture taken on April 4, 2019 shows hospital workers carrying patients on rollaway beds to evacuate from a forest fire in Sokcho. (Photo: AFP/Kangwon Ilbo)

The blaze broke out late Thursday alongside a road in the town of Goseong, in the far northeast of the country and only around 45km from the border with the nuclear-armed North.

Fanned by strong winds, it quickly spread through neighboring Sokcho, Gangneung and Donghae cities within hours, Yonhap reported. About 400 homes and 500 hectares of land were destroyed, according to the government.

Nearly 4,000 people were evacuated and one person died, authorities said, while 11 were injured.

More than 870 fire engines and some 10,000 emergency personnel were dispatched to fight the blaze, the National Fire Agency said.

The military sent 32 helicopters, along with fire engines of its own and 16,500 soldiers, to help.

"Fortunately, the main fire has been brought under control," provincial governor Choi Moon-soon said in a radio interview with YTN, but added that others were still burning.

A general view shows a village destroyed by a forest fire in Sokcho on Apr 5, 2019. (Photo: AFP/Kangwon Ilbo)

South Korean soldiers try to put out a fire still in smouldering debris after the area was hit by a forest fire in Goseong on Apr 5, 2019. (Photo: AFP/YONHAP)

The central government declared a state of national disaster, entitling affected areas to special assistance including goods and equipment, and banning entry to dangerous zones.

The last time Seoul made such a declaration was in 2007, when a crude oil carrier leaked thousands of tonnes of oil into the sea off the west coast.

President Moon Jae-in told officials to take all measures necessary to battle the inferno, and to liaise with North Korean authorities if the fire approaches the border, the presidential office said./.

VNF/AFP