Caution needed during autumn hiking against fallen leaves creating safety hazard

[Anchor]

These days, many people are going hiking.

The autumn mountains are beautifully adorned with colorful leaves, but the fallen leaves on the hiking trails can cause slipping accidents, so extra caution is needed during mountain excursions.

Reporter Ha Moo-rim has the story.

[Report]

The mountainsides, dyed with vibrant autumn leaves, and the falling leaves under the clear sky enhance the autumn atmosphere.

Recently, as the foliage reaches its peak, the number of hikers has been increasing.

[Park Seong-gu/Seocho-gu, Seoul: "I bought new hiking shoes, so I came to Suraksan today to see the fallen leaves and the autumn colors."]

However, paths covered with fallen leaves can lead to unexpected accidents.

Many people suffer serious injuries due to slippery stones, moss, and branches hidden beneath the leaves.

On the 24th of October, a man in his 40s fell to his death after stepping on wet leaves on a hillside in Jinan-gun, Jeollabuk-do Province.

In the past three years, nearly 2,000 cases of falls and accidents have occurred during the autumn foliage season.

To prevent such accidents, it is important to use hiking sticks to check the terrain hidden under the leaves.

Particularly, caution is needed on the downhill trek.

Many slipping accidents occur due to carelessness, so it is advisable to take smaller steps and carefully check the leaf-covered path while walking.

If you suffer a fracture, you should perform first aid and hurry down the mountain.

[Koo Eun-soo/Vice President of the Korean Mountain Rescue Association: "There are many first aid techniques we can use with our backpacks. For example, if you slightly deflate a water bottle or a PET bottle, you can make a splint."]

Additionally, during the autumn foliage season, where there is a significant temperature difference, strenuous hiking can lead to acute illnesses, so it is advisable to be aquainted with CPR and other emergency procedures.

Packing warm clothing for hypothermia and emergency food supplies is also a wise way to ensure safety.

This is KBS News, Ha Moo-rim.