▲ A wildfire rages along the coastal hills in the northeastern coast city of Gangneung on April 11, 2023, amid typhoon-class strong winds. (Yonhap)
▲ Korean Red Cross officials set up disaster relief shelters for wildfire victims at the Gangneung Ice Arena in the northeastern coastal city on April 11, 2023. (Yonhap)
▲ Residents of the northeastern coastal city of Gangneung evacuate urgently as a wildfire spreads to their homes on April 11, 2023. (Yonhap)
▲ A house and a nearby hill in Gangneung, northeastern South Korea, are engulfed by flames on April 11, 2023, amid high wind and dry weather warnings for east coast areas. (Yonhap)

(3rd LD) strong winds-wildfires

(3rd LD) Wildfires destroy 70 homes, extensive woodland on east coast amid typhoon-class strong winds

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest figures in headline, paras 1, 4, 6, 9-10; CHANGES photos)

SEOUL/GANGNEUNG, South Korea, April 11 (Yonhap) -- A wind-swept wildfire tore through the northeastern coastal city of Gangneung on Tuesday, destroying about 70 homes and buildings, burning woodland the size of 518 football fields, and forcing hundreds of residents and tourists to evacuate.

The wildfire broke out on a hill in Gangneung's Nangok-dong district at around 8:30 a.m. amid the combination of high wind and dry weather warnings issued by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) for the region earlier.

From early Tuesday, typhoon-class strong winds with an instantaneous maximum speed reaching 30 meters per second blew over Gangneung, 168 kilometers east of Seoul, and other east coast areas of Gangwon Province.

The fire was rapidly spreading to the district's residential areas due to gusty winds, burning 370 hectares of woodland, the equivalent of 518 football fields, 40 homes, 28 pension houses and three hotels so far, according to the city's fire officials. No casualties have been reported yet.

The officials speculate that the wildfire may have been caused by a wind-damaged pine tree touching an electric wire before spreading to the nearby forest.

The city government sent a disaster warning message to the fire-stricken district's residents, asking them to evacuate to schools, community service centers or the Gangneung Ice Arena. So far, 450 people have reportedly taken shelter in those places.

Some 700 tourists staying in nearby accommodations also evacuated to safe places in case there is an emergency.

A total of 15 elementary and secondary schools along the east coast suspended classes and sent students home.

The fire authorities raised their response posture to the highest level and mobilized more than 2,362 firefighters and 391 fire trucks, though their firefighting efforts were hampered by strong winds.

Helicopters were initially all grounded due to the strong winds but three took part in the firefighting operations in the early afternoon, when the wind abated.

In Seoul, President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed the government to swiftly use all available equipment and manpower to extinguish the wildfires as soon as possible and prevent casualties, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.

The KMA has also issued a strong wind advisory elsewhere in the nation, including central inland and western and southern coastal areas, saying the unusual weather conditions have occurred because the Korean Peninsula is located between high pressure to the south and low pressure to the north.

In addition, the state weather agency issued a cold wave advisory for dozens of cities and counties throughout the country as of Tuesday morning.

East coast areas hit by typhoon-class strong winds, wildfires[https://youtu.be/8W7Qb8noMnA]

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