South Korea evacuates World Scout Jamboree with typhoon threatening, heat illnesses already affecting hundreds
South Korean officials are pulling the plug on the 25th World Scout Jamboree and evacuating around 36,000 teens as Typhoon Khanun threatens. The American contingent left the event over the weekend after over 700 attendees have been treated for heat illnesses in the midst of the heatwave, according to media reports.
Heat wave sends US Boy Scouts packing from World Jamboree
Over 600 Scouts and volunteers have been treated for heat illnesses during the 2023 World Jamboree in South Korea. The U.S. and U.K. contingents left the campground for health reasons this weekend.
SAEMANGEUM, South Korea – South Korea finally pulled the plug on the 25th World Scout Jamboree after hundreds were sickened from a heat wave, and now, the jamboree is in the path of a typhoon. Organizers, along with the Korean government and meteorological agency, issued evacuation orders for the campground.
As Typhoon Khanun churns toward the peninsula, officials called on 1,000 buses to move out the 36,000 teen scouts. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast the storm to make landfall Thursday.
"Through cooperation between the government and local authorities, we plan to secure administrative facilities and private educational facilities primarily in the capital region, which is not directly within the typhoon's impact zone," said the Vice Minister for Disaster and Safety at a press conference. "Our aim is to provide comfortable and safe accommodations for the participants."
Typhoon Khanun's forecast track.
(Joint Typhoon Warning Center / FOX Weather)
American Boy Scouts had already fled the campground over the weekend, as a historic heat wave sickened hundreds since the event began on August 1.
Over 600 kids and volunteers were treated for heat illnesses in just the first two days of the gathering, according to Al Jazeera. Over 130 more were treated on Saturday.
On Saturday, the U.K. contingent of about 4,000 scouts left for hotels in Seoul, about 130 miles away. The Americans will stay at a U.S. military base to "continue their Jamboree experience" in another location," said the World Organization of the Scout Movement in a post. Al Jazeera reported that the Singapore contingent was also seeking alternate accommodations.
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Boy and Girl Scouts from the U.K. arrived Saturday at a hotel in Seoul, almost 130 miles from the campsite.
(Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images)
Medics mobilized after 400 fell ill on day one
The Korean government spent millions to send almost 100 more doctors and nurses to the camp. The South Korean President pledged, at a press conference, to send an "unlimited supply" of air-conditioned buses, refrigerator trucks and water trucks.
"Over the past 24 hours, we note the significant resources which have been mobilized to improve the campsite’s facilities and services to help participants cope with the impact of the severe heat wave affecting this country have had an increased improvement," said World Scout Federation Director Jacob Murray.
Even so, the World Organization of the Scout Movement urged the Korean Scout Association and the government to cut the Jamboree short on Friday.
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Air-conditioned buses provide heat relief at the treeless campsite.
(ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP / Getty Images)
K-Pop concert postponed by heat
"WOSM today asked the Host to consider alternative options to end the event earlier than scheduled and support the participants until they depart for their home countries," the organization posted in a statement. "The Host decided to go ahead with the event, assuring that they will do everything possible to address the issues caused by the heat wave by adding additional resources."
Organizers are looking into a different venue for the concert.
Temperatures hit the century mark at the camp on day one. Seoul hit 95 during the week.
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The government ordered almost one-hundred extra medics to head to the Jamboree.
(ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP / Getty Images)
"This isn't what we signed up for. This isn't what we were expecting," Mom of a scout, Kristin Sayers told FOX News. "And I know Mother Nature is unpredictable, and we can't do anything about the heat, but it sounds like the problems with this go way beyond the heat. There's not enough food. There's not enough water."
The FOX Forecast Center calls for highs of 90 to 95 through Thursday when Khanun approaches.