Intl. scouts gathering in South Korea canceled over typhoon alert
Seoul, Aug 7 (EFE).- An international congregation of Scouts held in South Korea since early this month was canceled due to the approach of typhoon Khanun.
The 25th World Scout Jamboree, one of the largest annual events of this youth camping movement gathering some 43,000 young people from 158 countries, will come to an end earlier than planned, the organization announced Monday in a statement.
The World Organization of the Scout Movement “has received confirmation from the South Korean government on the estimated impact of Typhoon Khanun,” so “an early departure will be planned” for all participants in the event which takes place in the SaeManGeum camping area.
Those responsible for the event are now waiting for the South Korean Executive to finalize the plans for the departure of the participants, and urged Seoul to “accelerate” preparations and provide the necessary resources to allow a safe return of all.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who offered a welcome speech on Wednesday at the Scouts congregation, is for his part preparing a “contingency plan” to relocate the Scouts to areas of Seoul and surroundings, according to reports from the local Yonhap news agency.
The event held in the province of North Jeolla and scheduled to end Saturday, had been marked since its start on Tuesday by the impact of a heat wave affecting South Korea, and which caused the hospitalization of more than a hundred participants.
The South Korean authorities responded by increasing the deployment of medical personnel present at the camping area, installing portable air conditioning devices, and increasing transportation services in the area to allow those who wanted to leave the event to do so.
Having brought heavy rain, gusty winds and storm surge to southwestern Japan since last week, Typhoon Khanun is currently moving northward and approaching the southern coast of South Korea, where it is expected to make landfall Thursday. EFE
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