SEOUL, South Korea - On Tuesday, a wildfire fueled by high winds destroyed portions of a beach city on South Korea's eastern coast, killing one person and driving hundreds to evacuate before being calmed by rain.
It took eight hours and about 3,000 firemen to put out the fire that erupted at 8:30 a.m. on a mountain in Gangneung's central district. and destroyed over 70 houses and other structures.
More than 550 individuals were evacuated to facilities such as an ice rink and a middle school gym.
A man in his 70s was discovered dead inside a burned-down house, while another occupant and two firemen suffered second-degree burns, according to officials.
According to the Korea Forest Service, firefighters doused the incident by 4:30 p.m., aided by afternoon rain.
Their efforts were first hampered by strong gusts, which made water-dropping planes difficult to fly, but officials were able to deploy helicopters in the afternoon.
Winds in the Gangneung region were blowing at 103 kilometers per hour, according to the Korea Meteorological Agency. Strong winds also led railroad operators to cancel at least a dozen passenger trains connecting Gangneung with other eastern coastal cities such as Donghae and Samcheok.
The fire burned approximately 379 hectares (936 acres). First, firefighters concentrated on erecting barriers to prevent the flames from spreading to more populous sections of Gangneung.
Firefighters were seen spraying water on burning residences and structures, while enormous orange flames engulfed a pine forest near a beach vacation hotel. According to the Korea Forest Service, the fire was most likely started by a tree that fell over a powerline after being shattered by heavy winds.
