The South Korean government, known for its heavy emphasis on hosting international events, tried to keep the gathering going as thousands of British and American scouts left at the weekend due to an extreme heat wave that sent some attendees to hospital.
Authorities did not announce the decision to vacate the seaside campground in the southwestern town of Buan until Monday afternoon, after forecasters raised the alarm about Tropical Storm Khanun, which was heading for the Bahamas Peninsula. Korea.
South Korean officials indicated that the gathering would continue in the form of cultural events and activities, such as a K-Pop concert in Seoul on Friday.
Critics have pointed out that the decision to hold the event at a location known as Saemangeum was part of efforts to justify more investment in controversial reclaimed land.
More than 1,000 vehicles participated in the evacuation of 37,000 explorers from 156 countries, most of them teenagers. Most would be staying in and around Seoul, where authorities had secured spaces in university dormitories, government and corporate training centers, and hotels.
Tropical storm Khanun has been circling Japan’s southwestern islands for more than a week, dumping heavy rain, causing blackouts and damaging homes.
The center of the meteor was 350 kilometers (217 miles) south of Kagoshima, a city on the southwestern tip of Japan’s southernmost main island, Kyushu, on Tuesday morning. Khanun was displaying winds of 108 kilometers (67 miles) per hour, gusting to 144 kilometers (89 miles) per hour and moving slowly northward, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The South Korean weather agency, which estimated the storm to be typhoon-force with winds of 126 km/h (78 mph), expected it to gain some strength before making landfall Thursday morning. It was estimated to bring downpours and gales to South Korea between Wednesday and Friday.
FOUNTAIN: Associated Press
