27 killed in South Korean wildfires, temples destroyed

Firefighters are racing to save people and ancient artefacts from the largest wildfires in South Korea's history, which have killed at least 27 people so far, says the BBC.

Tens of thousands have also been displaced in the blazes, which started in the south-east on 21 March.

Most of those killed were in their 60s and 70s, local officials say.

Eyewitnesses described apocalyptic scenes as fires engulfed their homes, with one man telling the BBC the damage in his city has been "devastating".

Authorities believe that human activities started multiple fires, but strong winds and dry land allowed them to spread quickly.

The winds also make it dangerous for helicopters to operate one crashed while fighting the fires on Tuesday.

The fires have gutted a 1,300-year-old temple in Uiseong city and are threatening other cultural sites.

Meanwhile, rain has begun to fall in parts of Uiseong County in North Gyeongsang Province, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

The area has been among the hardest hit by the fires. The 1,300-year-old Gounsa temple, which is located in Uiseong city, was destroyed by the blaze.

However, as we reported earlier, forecasters fear the amount of rain expected will not be enough to stop the fires from spreading.