South Korea is battling "snowballing damage" from what officials describe as the country's worst ever wildfires, which have claimed at least 23 lives and forced 27,000 people to evacuate their homes.
The devastating blazes began last Friday and have continued to spread, prompting a televised address from acting president Han Duck-soo.
"Damages are snowballing," Han said. "There are concerns that we'll have wildfire damages that we've never experienced."
He added: "We are deploying all available personnel and equipment in response to the worst wildfires ever but the situation is not good."
Four firefighters and government workers also lost their lives on Saturday after becoming trapped by fast-moving flames
REUTERS
The devastating blazes began last Friday and have continued to spread
REUTERS
The fires have intensified since Tuesday evening, when high winds transformed the situation from a local to a national emergency.
The fires have burned more than 43,000 acres of land, destroying houses, factories and vehicles across the affected regions.
Among the cultural treasures lost is the Gounsa Temple, an ancient Buddhist temple built in 681 that had stood for 1,300 years before being consumed by flames.
Several Unesco World Heritage sites are now under threat as the fires continue to spread.
The historic Hahoe Village and the Byeongsan Confucian Academy in Andong city are at risk, according to a city official.
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A helicopter sprays water near Gounsa temple to protect it from a wildfire, in Uiseong
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Around 4,650 firefighters, soldiers and other personnel have been deployed to battle the blazes, alongside approximately 130 helicopters.
Despite these efforts, strong winds have hampered containment operations, with emergency services struggling to control the spreading fires.
Officials are now pinning their hopes on rainfall forecast for Thursday - but with less than an inch of precipitation expected, there are serious concerns this will not be sufficient to tame the flames.
March marks the end of the dry season in South Korea, with this year seeing significantly lower rain than usual.
The rural areas affected remain overwhelmingly dry, raising fears for elderly communities and nearby urban centres like Andong city.
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The blazes may have started due to the use of fire to clear overgrown grass in family tombs
REUTERS
Among the dead was the pilot of a helicopter fighting the wildfires who was killed in a crash, according to the Yonhap news agency.
Four firefighters and government workers also lost their lives on Saturday after becoming trapped by fast-moving flames driven by strong winds.
Government officials suspect human error as the cause of several fires.
The blazes may have started due to the use of fire to clear overgrown grass in family tombs, with sparks from welding work another potential explanation.
