South Korea has so far killed 16 people due to extreme heat this year.
A total of 2,025 people have fallen ill with heat-related illnesses between May 15 and August 2, according to a statement issued by the South Korean Ministry of the Interior, of whom 16 have lost their lives.
South Korea has broken its highest temperature record three times in the past week, with the highest temperature ever recorded in the country at 42.5 degrees Celsius in the city of Yangsan on Sunday.
A ‘severe heatwave warning’ alert has been issued in the capital Seoul today, with temperatures forecast to reach close to 40 degrees Celsius again.
To ensure the safety of citizens, medical staff are examining 63,000 highly vulnerable people, including the elderly and disabled.
To reduce the intensity of the heat in the capital, 200 trucks are spraying water on about 2,000 kilometers of roads.
