At least 24 people die as wildfires rage S.Korea

27,000 forced to evacuate; death toll includes a pilot who died after a helicopter crashed during efforts to contain the blaze; centuries-old temple in ruins

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Wind-driven wildfires that were among South Korea's worst ever have ravaged the country's southern regions, killing 24 people, destroying more than 200 structures and forcing 27,000 residents to evacuate, officials said on Wednesday.

The death toll included a pilot who died after a helicopter crashed during efforts to contain a blaze in the southeastern town of Uiseong, one of the hardest-hit areas. The aircraft had no other crew members. Police said that most of the dead are those in their 60s and 70s.

The National Fire Agency said at least 26 people sustained varying degrees of injuries.

An ancient Buddhist temple, houses, factories and vehicles were destroyed in the wildfires that have burned 17,535 hectares, the government's emergency response center said.

In a televised address, South Korea's acting President Han Duck-soo said the wildfires that began last Friday were worse than many previous ones.

"Damages are snowballing," Han said.

"There are concerns that we'll have wildfire damages that we've never experienced, so we have to concentrate all our capabilities to put out the wildfires in the rest of this week."