24 killed, 29K evacuated in South Korea's worst fire

300 structures destroyed; 17,752 hectares burned in the country's southern region; Acting prez Duck-soo says damages are snowballing

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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 300 structures and forcing 28,800 residents to evacuate, officials said.

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.