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| Temporary shelters in Gyeongbuk |
Elderly residents stood in disbelief before the charred remains of their homes. Some fought back tears as they said, “We spent our entire lives saving up to build this house…”
As of now, more than 3,000 people remain in government-provided temporary shelters following a massive wildfire in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province (경북)—the most destructive forest fire ever recorded in South Korea’s history.
📈 Wildfire Damage May Surpass 1 Trillion Won
According to the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government, as of April 7, preliminary damage across five affected cities and counties had already reached 800 billion won.
While inspections of infrastructure—including roads, cultural assets, sports facilities, and religious sites—are complete, forest inspections are only 29.8% complete due to the massive burn area.
The wildfire has scorched a staggering 45,157 hectares, marking the largest wildfire-affected area ever documented in Korea.
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| House owners returned to their burnt house after the wildfire |
🏠 Nearly 4,000 Homes Damaged or Destroyed
So far, 3,987 homes have been confirmed damaged:
- 3,915 homes completely destroyed
- 30 homes partially burned
- 42 homes with minor fire damage
The most severely affected areas include:
- Yeongdeok (영덕): 1,520 homes destroyed
- Andong (안동): 1,230 homes
- Cheongsong (청송): 770 homes
- Uiseong (의성): 357 homes
- Yeongyang (영양): 110 homes
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| Massive homes are burnt by the wildfire |
🌾 Severe Losses in Agriculture and Livestock
- 3,785 hectares of crops burned, including 3,645 hectares of orchards
- 423 greenhouses, 217 livestock sheds, and 6,230 pieces of agricultural equipment destroyed
🌊 Wildfire Reaches East Sea, Devastates Coastal Communities
In Yeongdeok, flames reached the East Sea coast, causing widespread destruction:
- 23 fishing boats and 78 fishermen's homes destroyed
- 13 sets of fixed fishing nets lost (approx. 5 billion won in damage)
- 1 unregistered vessel and 3 recreational boats damaged
- At 5 fish farms, around 360,000 fish (flatfish, freshwater fish) died (approx. 3 billion won in damage)
- 3 seafood processing plants and 16 storage units burned (approx. 3.5 billion won in damage)
- 7 fish-drying machines and 16 cold storage facilities were also destroyed
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| Fishsing boats are burnt after the wildfire in Youngdeok |
📡 Infrastructure Recovery Underway
- Mobile communication restored: 96.7%
- Landline service restored: 96.5%
- Pay-TV recovery: 89.6%
- Water supply fully restored, except for one wastewater facility still under repair
- Electricity restoration pending at 179 homes and buildings
🏭 Small Businesses Also Hit Hard
At least 65 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and 135 sole proprietorships have reported losses due to the wildfire disaster.
Related articles:
🔥 South Korea's Fastest-Recorded Wildfire Spreads Uncontrollably at 8.2 km/h
References: TTHQ,
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