In South Korea, where temperatures have been hovering around or even above 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) for the better part of a week, a prolonged heat wave has claimed the lives of at least 16 people.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on Wednesday, August 2, that all of the fatalities had occurred since May, which is a significant increase beyond the six deaths recorded during the same time period last year due to heat-related illnesses.
Since Tuesday, August 1, KDCA has received reports of 1,284 persons experiencing heat-related medical conditions.
Alarming Heat Wave Alert
On Wednesday, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of South Korea said that for the first time this year, the heat wave warning had been elevated to the most severe "serious" level, CNN reported.
Since late July, when temperatures first hit above 33 degrees Celsius (about 91 degrees Fahrenheit), heat wave warnings have been issued for the entire nation.
Temperatures of 38.4 degrees Celsius (101.1 degrees Fahrenheit) were observed in Yeoju City, Gyeonggi Province, and 38.2 degrees Celsius (100.8 degrees Fahrenheit) were reported in Anseong City, Gyeonggi Province, on Tuesday. Local authorities are monitoring the health of the most at-risk citizens and putting in place cooling measures like shade tents and rental sun umbrellas as the hot wave continues.
Concerns have also been raised about the well-being of outdoor workers, who are in the direct line of heat from the sun. According to a Reuters article, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions issued a statement saying, "Under the current conditions, construction workers' heat deaths are 'expected deaths.'"
Several regions of Asia have been severely impacted by the summer's extreme weather. Recently, landslides and flash floods have been caused by extreme temperatures and heavy rainfall in several areas of China, the Philippines, and Japan.
There is no doubt in the minds of scientists that the climate catastrophe brought on by human activity is increasing the frequency and severity of these extreme weather events.
Also Read: US Heatwaves Could Lead to Record Number of Deaths; Experts See Full Spectrum of Heat-Related Risks
Climate Change Is to Blame For
In July, experts published a paper finding that the extraordinary heatwaves that swept through North America, Europe, and China that month may be attributed in "overwhelming" part to human-induced climate change.
Forest fires, water shortages, and an increase in heat-related hospital admissions have all been linked to the record-breaking temperatures that have been seen in China, the US, and southern Europe during the month of July.
Also last month, hundreds of visitors were evacuated from Rhodes, Greece, due to flames ignited by the island's record-breaking heat.
In the US, a section of Highway 610 between Interstate 94 and Elm Creek Boulevard in Minnesota has been cracked due to the heatwave. Photos were released by the Minnesota Department of Transportation online.
Also Read: MN Highway Buckles Due to US Heat Wave
