Heat wave death toll in South Korea rises to 22

SEOUL: A man in his 20s died on Aug 13 from what is thought to be an acute reaction from extreme heat exposure, raising the nationwide death toll due to heat-related illnesses to 22 as of Aug 15.

Of the 2,570 who have been diagnosed with heat-related illnesses, 22 people have died since May 20 until 4pm local time on Aug 15, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s latest tally during what has been one of the most severe heat waves in recent years.

The total number of people who have suffered from heat-related illnesses so far has already surpassed the 2,200 diagnosed in all of 2023.

The latest fatality due to the searing heat wave occurred after the man, who was in his 20s, installed an air conditioner in a middle school cafeteria in South Jeolla province at 4.40pm on Aug 13.

He said he felt dizzy and was taken to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, but he died, marking the second death in the province due to the heat.

Unrelenting heat has scorched the country day and night, as Seoul experienced its 25th tropical night in a row from Aug 14 night to Aug 15 morning.

It is the second-longest streak of tropical nights in recorded history for the city, with the current record of 26 days in 2018 being just one day longer.

If tropical nights continue in Seoul as predicted, the city will break its record for Aug 16 night to Aug 17 morning.

Tropical night refers to when the temperature does not drop below 25 deg C from 6pm to 9am the next morning.

The southern port city of Busan has already tied its record for the longest streak of tropical nights ever, with its 21st tropical night from Aug 14 night to Aug 15 morning. The previous record was set in 1994 and reached again in 2018.

As the heat wave has persisted, 779,000 livestock have died from extreme heat and 1.03 million fish have died in aqua farms as of Aug 14. – The Korea Herald/ANN