Thousands flee as South Korean wildfire destroys homes

Nearly 2,000 firefighters and troops battled the blaze (Yonhap via AP)

Thousands of South Korean firefighters and troops are battling a large wildfire that tore through an eastern coastal area and temporarily threatened a nuclear power station and a liquified natural gas plant.

The fire, which began on Friday morning on a mountain in the seaside town of Uljin and has spread across more than 14,800 acres to the nearby city of Samcheok, destroyed at least 159 homes and 46 other buildings and prompted the evacuation of more than 6,200 people.