S. Korea continues scout jamboree despite typhoon
Tens of thousands of youngsters will be evacuated from the campsite of the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea to get them out of the path of a looming typhoon, organisers said on Monday, days after hundreds fell ill amid soaring temperatures. - REUTERS
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00:00 South Korea is planning to push ahead with the scouts' jamboree, despite the expected
00:05 typhoon. That's according to officials on Monday.
00:09 The event's organisers plan to evacuate tens of thousands of teenage scouts out of the
00:14 path of the typhoon that is set to drench their campsite.
00:18 The storm is the latest headache for the jamboree's planners, which began last Tuesday amid one
00:23 of the worst heatwaves to hit South Korea in years.
00:27 Heavy heat caused hundreds of scouts to fall ill, triggering complaints from parents.
00:31 The British and US contingents have already left the campsite.
00:35 The Americans are due to stay at a US Army base, and the British at hotels in the capital,
00:41 Seoul. UK Scout Chief Matt Hyde acted on his concerns.
00:45 The first is the sanitation. We were concerned that the toilets weren't being cleaned frequently
00:50 enough, there wasn't soap in there, and it wasn't safe, and there was rubbish building
00:53 up as well. There was concerns around food, and particularly those with dietary requirements
00:58 that weren't getting the food that they needed, so they were eating less. We cannot be put
01:03 in this situation again. It's not fair on anyone.
01:08 The governor of North Jeolla province, which is hosting the event, has apologised, and
01:13 officials have sent in scores of water trucks and air conditioners to keep participants
01:18 cool. Typhoon Kanun, which has wreaked havoc in
01:21 southern Japan, is forecast to reach southern South Korea on Thursday near the Jamboree's
01:26 campsite. A ministry official told reporters that about
01:33 36,000 participants would be taken by bus on Tuesday to areas that are away from the
01:39 path of the typhoon. Officials are seeking alternate venues and
01:44 accommodation in and around Seoul, as well as in university dorms. More than 40,000 people
01:51 were at the Jamboree, the first global scout gathering since the health crisis.
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