Seoul - Saba:
South Korean authorities announced on Wednesday that 18 people have died in a series of forest fires that have caused "unprecedented damage" in the southeast of the country.
Thousands of firefighters have been trying to control the fires for five days.
Yonhap News Agency reported that a government official from the Ministry of Security said, "18 people have lost their lives in the forest fires," which have also led to "six people being seriously injured and 13 others with minor injuries."
In turn, Acting President Han Duck-soo stated that the fires have caused "unprecedented damage," and the flames are "spreading in a way that surpasses existing prediction models."
Han said, "The forest fires, which have been raging for the fifth consecutive day in Ulsan and the Gyeongsang region, are causing unprecedented damage," adding that the fires are "spreading in a way that exceeds existing prediction models and previous expectations."
The acting president announced that the government has decided to respond to this catastrophic situation with a "comprehensive national response" and has raised the crisis to the highest level.
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