"Only the body barely came out" Residents evacuated... Another strong wind forecast overnight

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As a forest fire spread to Uljin and nearby Samcheok due to dry weather and strong winds, more than 5,500 residents were evacuated to village halls and elementary schools far from the fire site.

Another strong wind is predicted overnight, so I am worried that the damage will increase.

This is Correspondent Jeong Seong-jin.

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A vehicle exiting a road full of red flames.

From Ducheon-ri, Buk-myeon, Uljin-gun, where the fire started, the fire spread quickly to the northeast with a strong wind of 25 m/s, and the residents had no choice but to watch the place burn in the flames.

[Uljin-gun residents (Video provided by the Korea Forest Service): Oh, why isn't the fire truck coming?

What do you do when it's all over?

oh how are you

]

An evacuation order was issued in 9 villages, including Buk-myeon and Uljin-eup, Uljin-gun, and about 4,500 residents were evacuated to village halls and elementary schools that were far from the scene of the fire.

[Please evacuate to the Cultural Center.]

As the fire spread to nearby Samcheok City, more than 1,000 residents of six villages, including Wolcheon-ri and Sanyang-ri, Wondeok-eup, were also evacuated.

Currently, it has been confirmed that about 70 houses and warehouses have been burned, but the exact damage has not been confirmed due to the difficulty in accessing the strong flames.

[Nam Ok-bun / Residents of Sogok-ri, Buk-myeon, Uljin-gun: Five houses were burnt in rotation.

I don't have one.

I was inspired and only the body came out.]

In the Uljin-gun area, with the exception of KT, communication networks did not operate properly, causing inconvenience to residents.

[Samcheok City Resident: Nothing (I can't know.) Because I can't answer the phone.

I have to go over here, but I'm trying to get over it, so there's a fire over there.]

Another strong wind is predicted overnight, so it's not easy to catch the flames.

[Byeongam Choi / Director of the Korea Forest Service: After 3 o’clock in the morning, the wind speed gets stronger with a strong wind up to about 20m, so I’m very nervous about this.]

This forest fire damaged 3,300 hectares of forest. As the amount of damage suffered is tentatively counted, the largest amount of damage in the last 10 years is expected in just one day.