This week, South Korean president Lee Jae Myung recently hailed the country’s ongoing heatwave as a ‘national disaster’. Now, there has been a notable spike in heat related deaths. South Korea’s neighbouring country Japan is also undergoing similar heat related conditions.
South Korea Heatwave: Death Toll From Brutal Heatwave Rises to 21
According to local authorities, the death toll from the ongoing heatwave in South Korea has jumped to 21. The previous toll was at 19 deaths. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has shared that close to 2500 people have sought emergency treatment due to the heat.
President Lee Jae Myung has also highlighted the severity of the situation, calling it ‘a national disaster’. “An even greater concern is that abnormal weather conditions make it highly likely that extreme weather will continue for a considerable period,” he said during a recent cabinet meeting.
South Korea Heatwave: KMA’s Recent Forecast
In its most recent forecast, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the country’s state weather agency placed Seoul and over 20 other major regions under its highest-level “Heat Wave Emergency Warning” . Notably, this is the first time KMA has put out a heatwave warning. It also shared that there is a 60% likelihood that temperatures across South Korea will remain above average. Yangsan, a southeastern inland city sitting in a basin, recorded a temperature of 42.5 degrees Celsius (108.5 degrees Fahrenheit)
South Korea Heatwave: Minimum & Maximum Temperatures
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Minimum temperature: 30°Celsius.
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Maximum temperature: 42°Celsius.
South Korea Heatwave: Weather Advisory
The KMA’s heatwave alert advised people to suspend outdoor activities such as farming, sports and work on construction sites. Government guidance strongly requests that managers completely suspend all non-essential outdoor construction, field operations, and athletic events between 11 AM and 5 PM. People have also been urged to check on their elderly, small children and those living alone as they are more susceptible to heat related illnesses.
South Korea Heatwave: List of Affected Areas
The ongoing heatwave has affected over 90% of South Korea. But the impact has been particularly worse in:
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Yongsan city
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Seoul
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Incheon city
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Gyeonggi province
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Jeolla province
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Gwangju province
