More than 13,000 rescue workers across the country were mobilized to stop the fire from breaking out in the mountainous district of Goseong, Gangwon province, about 160km northeast of Seoul, spreading to neighboring cities of Sokcho, Gangneung and Donghae in just a few hours.
A burned-out house in Gangneung.
Hundreds of houses were destroyed, vehicles were burned to charcoal.
A national disaster was declared in the areas affected by the fire at 9:00 a.m. on April 5.
As of 11am (local time), the fire had burned down 525 hectares, equivalent to 5.25 million m2 of forest, destroying more than 200 houses.
The fire broke out in Goseong.
The Korean soldiers' efforts to put out the fire were still in disarray in Goseong.
The South Korean Ministry of Home Affairs said that by noon of the same day, most of the fire in Goseong had been brought under control. More than 50% of the fire in Inje and Gangneung was brought under control early in the afternoon.
Firefighting helicopter.
A man in front of a burned-out house in Sokcho.
At least one person was killed and 35 injured, more than 4,000 people were displaced and the damage was cumulative, the government described as on-scale.
