Dar es Salaam, March 26 -- Seoul, SOUTH KOREA: WIND-driven wildfires that were among South Koreas worst ever were ravaging the countrys southern regions, killing 24 people, destroying more than 200 structures and forcing 27,000 people to evacuate, officials said Wednesday.

The death toll included a pilot who died after a helicopter crashed during efforts to contain wildfires in the southeastern town of Uiseong, one of the areas hardest-hit. The aircraft had no other crew members. The National Fire Agency said at least 26 other people sustained varying degrees of injuries.

An ancient Buddhist temple, houses, factories and vehicles were among the structures destroyed in the wildfires that have burned 43,330 acres, the governments eme...