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Wildfire destroys homes in U.S. resort towns, forcing thousands to flee

Xinhua, November 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

A wind-swept wildfire on Tuesday rages across the U.S. state of Tennessee which has suffered exceptional drought in past months, damaging more than 100 buildings in resort towns around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate.

More than 14,000 people fled overnight from the town of Gatlinburg alone. The fire damaged more than 100 buildings there, including a 16-story hotel and an apartment complex, said the state's emergency management agency and local officials.

No death has been reported so far, but at least 12 people were treated for severe burns and other non-life-threatening injuries at area hospitals, according to the local TV networks.

Sustained winds were at 30 to 40 mph for about 10 to 12 hours overnight, said Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash, who called the area inferno "unprecedented."

More than 400 firefighters have been deployed since Monday night in shifts to fight the fire, said local media. Enditem