South Korea: Heat-related death toll rises to 21 amid serious heat wave
Seoul, Aug 5
A total of 21 people have died from heat-related illnesses in South Korea so far this year as the country grapples with intense heat, health authorities said Wednesday.
A total of 2,441 patients have visited emergency rooms for heat-related conditions as of Tuesday since mid-May, when authorities launched the heat-related illness surveillance system, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Although fewer people suffered heat-related illnesses this year than during the same period last year, more people died this year, with the death toll surpassing last year's total of 20, Yonhap News Agency reported.
One of the latest fatalities was a 60-year-old man, who was working outside on a farm in the county of Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, on Tuesday.
Among the patients reported this year, heat exhaustion accounted for 61.7 per cent, followed by heat stroke at 16.8 per cent and heat cramps at 11.5 per cent.
The state weather agency issued additional serious heat wave warnings for the greater Seoul area earlier in the day, placing 43 per cent of the region under the highest alert level.
Meanwhile, temperatures for July this year in South Korea were the third highest on record at an average of 26.8 C nationwide, the state weather agency said Wednesday.
The highest on record was 27.7 C in 1994, followed by 27.1 C last year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), which tracks records using 1973 as the base year.
The number of tropical nights when the lowest temperature was 25 C or above came to an average of 9.7 days nationwide, setting a new record.
The previous mark had been 8.8 days in July 2024, followed by 8.5 days in July 1994, the KMA said.
Also in July this year, a heat wave advisory was issued on an average of 8.9 days nationwide, as the daily maximum temperature climbed to 33 C or higher.
The heat was most intense in the southeastern region, with the advisory triggered on 22 days in Daegu, 21 days in Gumi and 20 days in Miryang. By contrast, the central region saw far fewer days under heat wave advisories, with only two in Seoul.
Nationwide precipitation only came to 220.2 millimetres, or 72.3 per cent of the average July rainfall of 296.5 mm, according to the KMA.
Drought conditions were most severe in the southeastern South Gyeongsang Province, which received 68 mm of rainfall last month, or 21.9 per cent of the average July precipitation of 304.7 mm.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's concerning that despite fewer ER visits, more people died this year. This means the heat is getting more intense and people aren't recognizing the danger early enough. India faces similar issues — our construction workers and farmers suffer the same way. Governments worldwide need better early warning systems and support for outdoor workers.
This is scary. The record tropical nights are particularly concerning — no relief even at night means bodies never get a chance to recover. South Korea's weather is usually milder than India, but now they're beating their own records. Climate change is real, folks.
This is what happens when we ignore environmental warnings for decades. The southeast region of South Korea getting 21+ heat advisory days is alarming. India needs to pay attention — our cities are getting hotter every year too. Remember that villages in India can experience 45°C+ easily. We always talk about global warming but never act urgently enough. 🌡️
Sad news. The rising number of tropical nights is the real red flag — that's what makes heat waves deadly. I hope weather agencies around the world are taking notes from this. South Korea's response seems proactive though — they're issuing warnings and tracking data well. We can learn from that.
I can't stop thinking about that 60-year-old farmer who died. These are the most vulnerable people — daily wage earners, farmers, construction workers — who can't just stay indoors when the sun is blazing. In India too, we see so many deaths of manual laborers during peak summer. We need better workplace heat protections everywhere. 😢
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