Highway chaos, fireballs raining down as South Koreans flee wildfires

Truck driver Lee Seung-joo was driving through South Korea's Andong mountains when the wildfires hit, engulfing the area in flames and turning it into "a literal hell".

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ANDONG, South Korea — Truck driver Lee Seung-joo was driving through South Korea's Andong mountains when the wildfires hit, engulfing the area in flames and turning it into "a literal hell".

"It was like the apocalypse," the 39-year-old said, as he recalled seeing the fire tear through the area which, even before the inferno struck, had been suffering from a particularly dry spell.

"The mountains burning looked like literal hell," he added.

Tens of thousands of people in the south-east had to evacuate from the wildfires, which have been burning continuously since March 21, fanned by high winds and fuelled by the super-dry conditions.

Sections of National Route 7, the main east coast highway, descended into chaos as the fires caught up with evacuees stuck in traffic jams, struggling to escape.

"Fireballs rained down like rain between the jammed vehicles, setting cars on fire," one eyewitness told local media.

"Drivers barely escaped from the burning cars. It was utter chaos."

Apple farmer Cho Jae-oak, 75, who fled from his property, said he also saw fireballs flying down from the mountain.

He and his wife sprayed water to try and save their farm but were eventually forced to flee.