South Korea. Smoking ruins instead of monuments. Some were over a thousand years old

According to South Korean media, 28 people were killed in forest fires and 37 were injured, including nine hard. The earlier balance of fatalities was 24. The fire has been digested so far about 48,000 hectares of forests, which makes it the most destructive in the history of the country – the previous record cataclysm was recorded in April 2000, when the fire consumed nearly 24,000. ha forests on the east coast.

On Friday afternoon, the authorities announced that the most serious fires that were raging in the province of North Gyeongsang for the last seven days have been fully mastered. In the fight against the element, night rainfall and weaker gusts of wind helped, which slowed down the spread of fire.

“The rain that fell from [czwartkowego – przyp. red.] The afternoon until early morning, he helped in extinguishing fires, “said Lim Sang Sop, head of the South Korean forest service on Friday.

Although the fight against the most serious fires is coming to an end, the situation in the region remains difficult. Over 37.8 thousand inhabitants were forced to leave the houses, mainly in the areas of Uiseong and Andong poviats. The fire damaged or destroyed at least 2.2 thousand houses.

The fire also damaged or destroyed at least 18 cultural heritage facilities in the province of Gyeongsang North. Among them was the Buddhist Temple of Gouns, whose history dates back to the 7th century of our era. Many buildings were completely burned, and in the smacking ruins of the belfry there was a cracked bronze bell, formerly used for many religious ceremonies.

Parts of the Gouns complex have been burning before, recently in 1975, before a thorough reconstruction in 1992. The scale of recent damage caught residents and faithful in disbelief.

The portal of the “Korea Janggang Daily” daily, however, noted that thanks to the activities of the monument protection services, greater losses were avoided, including Due to the covering of wooden elements of fireproof sheets, which are able to withstand the temperature up to 700 degrees Celsius for an unlimited time.