S Korea struggling to contain wildfires

At least four killed in worst-ever blazes

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Deadly wildfires in South Korea worsened overnight, officials said yesterday, as dry, windy weather hampers efforts to contain one of the country's worst-ever fire outbreaks.

More than a dozen different blazes broke out over the weekend, with the safety minister reporting thousands of hectares burned and four people killed.

“The wildfires have so far affected approximately 14,694 hectares, with damage continuing to grow,’ acting Interior and Safety Minister Ko Ki-dong said.

The extent of damage would make the fires collectively the third-largest in South Korea’s history. The largest was an April 2000 blaze that scorched 23,913 hectares across the east coast.