SEOUL — South Korea is grappling with a severe heat wave that has led to 11 reported deaths and hundreds of hospitalizations due to heat-related illnesses, according to recent government data. This surge in heat-related casualties follows the termination of the annual monsoon season, exacerbating the public health crisis.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the fatalities occurred between May 20, when the government initiated a heat-related illness monitoring system, and the past Saturday. Notably, five of these deaths were reported over the last weekend alone, highlighting a dramatic rise in heat-induced health incidents. Among the victims was an elderly woman in her 80s who lost consciousness while working in a farm field near her apartment in Geumho-dong, Gwangju, in South Jeolla Province. Another case involved a woman in her 60s who fainted while working in a field in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, and later died in the hospital.
The health agency also reported that 386 individuals suffering from heat-related conditions were treated at 507 hospitals nationwide from Monday to Friday of last week. The ongoing heat wave has seen temperatures soar above 35 degrees Celsius in many regions, with a peak nearing 40 degrees Celsius recorded in Yangsan, a southeastern city, on Saturday.
The rising temperatures and subsequent health emergencies underscore the intense impact of post-monsoon heatwaves in South Korea, prompting heightened warnings and increased monitoring of heat-related illnesses.