South Korea struggles to contain deadly wildfires

Deadly wildfires in South Korea worsened overnight, officials said on March 25, as dry, windy weather hampered efforts to contain one of the country's worst fire outbreaks.

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UISEONG, South Korea - Deadly wildfires in South Korea worsened overnight, officials said on March 25, as dry, windy weather hampered efforts to contain one of the country's worst fire outbreaks.

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

"The wildfires have so far affected approximately 14,694ha, 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 23,913ha across the east coast.

More than 3,000 people have been evacuated to shelters, Mr Ko said. At least 11 people have been seriously injured.