World Scout Jamboree breaks camp early as South Korea braces for typhoon Khanun

Days after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced special measures to protect World Scout Jamboree participants from an unbearable heatwave,  evacuation of the campsite is underway as typhoon Khanun is about to make landfall in the East Asian country.

As the scouts fell ill due to extreme heat in the country, concerns were sparked about how the management was running the World Scout Jamboree.

The World Scout Jamboree event was held in Saemangeum on the west coast of South Korea in which around 40,000 teens participated.

In this event, outdoor activities were planned to be conducted including cultural performances, and sustainability workshops among other things for those in their mid and high schools.

“The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) received confirmation this morning from the Government of the Republic of Korea that due to the expected impact of Typhoon Khanun, an early departure will be planned for all participants at the 25th World Scout Jamboree,” WOSM said in a statement.

CNN reported that the typhoon is predicted to strike South Korea Thursday, with rainfall expected up to 6 inches (150 millimeters).

Kim Sung-Ho, vice minister for Disaster and Safety Management, said: “About 36,000 scout participants from 156 countries will be transferred to the greater Seoul area starting Tuesday morning.”

“The emergency evacuation plan would include 1,000 buses for transport, while the prime minister will meet with local authorities later Monday to discuss accommodation and additional activities for the scouts,” he added.

Since the start of the World Scout Jamboree on August 1, it faced several issues with the typhoon being the latest.

Earlier in the week, hundreds of participants became ill due to extreme heat, with some of them seeking help from an on-site medical centre for health issues.

According to the officials, nearly 1,300 people visited Sunday the on-site hospital.

Throughout the country, an alert of a heatwave was issued since late July, with temperatures expected to increase 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit) in some regions Monday, Korean Meteorological Agency remarked.

Days earlier, President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered authorities to send air-conditioned buses to the site for additional shelter from the heat and called for efforts to maintain hygiene at the World Scout Jamboree campsite to prevent food poisoning.

However, the concerns were not assuaged even after the measures with families of the participants pulling out from the event.