Gangneung Wildfire

[Anchor Lead]

Authorities are battling a massive wildfire in Gangneung that began on May 6 and has continued through Monday. People displaced by the blaze are devastated as the region begins to reckon with the damage.

[Pkg]

The long flames raging in darkness spread all the way to a village located at the foot of a mountain. Fire engines are lined up to prevent the fire from spreading to the residential area.

[Soundbite] "Water-proof it!"

Residents hope tap water will protect their houses.

[Soundbite] Kim Myung-ki(Resident) : "I'm trying to stop the flames from engulfing the house."

The flames can reach the nearby residential area any minute. People were evacuated to a nearby shelter, but they couldn't sleep all night because they were too worried about their homes.

[Soundbite] Yoo Sung-hyang(Evacuated Resident) : "My house is just across the bridge. I'm afraid it may be on fire now."

Despite their earnest prayers, their houses are eventually engulfed in raging flames. Devastated by the destruction, they pour out their complaints.

[Soundbite] Lee Woo-yeon(Displaced Resident) : "The authorities should have warned us. How can we know when a fire breaks out all of a sudden?"

When the residents returned to their houses the next day, they found them burned down to ashes. Children who have visited their parents to congratulate them on Parents' Day are worried about their mother.

[Soundbite] Choi Sun-young(Displaced Resident) : "It's Parents' Day and it's also my mother's birthday. We came here to celebrate, but we can't do it here."

The wildfire in Gangneung has burned more than 30 houses. It will take a long time to cope with the devastation.