Wind, cold snap leave multiple dead as snow, ice persist in S. Korea

Jan. 11 (Asia Today) -- Strong winds and a cold wave swept South Korea over the weekend, killing a pedestrian, triggering a series of deadly traffic crashes blamed on black ice and fueling a wildfire that forced residents to evacuate, officials said.

A man in his 20s died after a large signboard fell in Howon-dong in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, at about 2:21 p.m. Saturday. He was taken to a hospital but later died, authorities said.

In North Gyeongsang Province, officials said crashes believed to be linked to black ice killed seven people Saturday.

A trailer truck struck a vehicle near the Nam Sangju interchange on the Seosan-Yeongdeok Expressway at about 7 a.m., setting off chain-reaction collisions about 2 kilometers apart, officials said. Four people riding in a Hyundai Sonata were killed.

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In another crash near the same interchange at about 6:10 a.m., a truck overturned and was then hit by a following vehicle, killing the truck driver and injuring seven others, officials said. Two additional crashes involving 25-ton trucks in Seongju County occurred within about 20 minutes, killing both drivers, authorities said.

A wildfire broke out on a hillside in Bibong-ri in Uiseong at about 3:14 p.m. Saturday and spread rapidly in gusty winds, fire officials said. About 300 residents from nearby villages evacuated to local community halls. Authorities contained the main fire by about 6:30 p.m. with no injuries reported.

Heavy snow advisories remained in effect Sunday for parts of South Jeolla Province and Jeju Island, while cold wave advisories covered most of the country except southern areas, officials said.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast rain or snow in much of the country Monday, including the Seoul area and Jeju, with morning lows expected between minus 14 degrees Celsius and minus 3 degrees Celsius. Strong winds are expected to make it feel colder, the agency said.

-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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