ANDONG, South Korea: Kim Dal-geun has lived in Andong for the past decade with his wife, enjoying the rich culture and folk traditions that the city has to offer.
But on Tuesday (Mar 25), the couple was forced to flee with just the clothes on their backs.
They had been ordered to evacuate when South Korea’s worst wildfires on record – which have ravaged much of North Geyeongsang province in the southeast since last week – tore through their city, which is now one of the hardest-hit areas.
The fires began in central Uiseong county and have killed at least 28 people, devastating an area equivalent to about two-thirds of Singapore.
Heritage sites went up in flames, including a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple, and residents were combing through their burnt homes to see what could be salvaged.
“The fire started down across the road. It was very windy that day, and a fireball blew over … so we started running. People who arrived later said that the fire had started and spread,” Kim told CNA.
The 78-year-old and his wife left the temporary shelters they had been evacuated to and briefly returned to their neighbourhood along with other residents on Thursday to check on their homes.
While part of the couple’s house went up in flames, they were hoping to save anything they could – like a small plot of land where they used to grow chillies for a living.
“This is painful to see, but what can we do? What can we say? It’s hard to describe,” Kim added sombrely.
Still, he was relieved that his two dogs were safe and sound after he had to leave them behind. Others may not have been so fortunate – some residents had no time to even remove their dogs’ leashes before fleeing.
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