Seoul, South Korea – Wind-driven wildfires that were among South Korea’s worst ever have ravaged the country’s southern regions, killing 24 people, destroying more than 200 structures and forcing 27,000 residents to evacuate, officials said Wednesday.

Officials in the South Korean city of Andong have alerted residents to evacuate to safe areas as firefighters struggled to contain wildfires that ravaged the country’s southern regions since last week,

The death toll from multiple wildfires tearing through the southeastern region of South Korea rose to 24 on Wednesday, officials said, with more than 27,000 residents evacuated and historical treasures destroyed.