As record-high temperatures in Korea keep being broken day after day and the extreme heat wave persists, the number of heat-related patients who visited emergency rooms nationwide in a single day neared 100.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 2nd, 96 heat-related patients were reported the previous day at about 500 emergency rooms nationwide.
Daily heat-related patients had stayed in the 20s through the 21st of last month but then began to increase. Since the 25th of last month, more than 70 have been recorded each day, rising to 96 the previous day.
Accordingly, from May 15, when this year's emergency room heat illness surveillance system began operating, through the previous day, the cumulative number of patients rose to 1,889. The current cumulative death toll is 14. No new deaths were confirmed the previous day.
Livestock damage was not additionally tallied due to the holiday. Based on the previous tally, 432,450 livestock have died. Damage to aquaculture organisms was assessed at 165,196.
The government expects sweltering heat with a maximum perceived temperature of 35 degrees or higher to continue across most regions nationwide for the time being. Centered on Gyeongsang and South Jeolla regions, the maximum perceived temperature is forecast to climb to 38 degrees or higher, with tropical nights continuing.
As of 4 p.m. that day, heat wave advisories were in effect in 228 zones nationwide. Among them, in 24 zones—including five in South Jeolla, two in Daegu, two in North Gyeongsang, and 15 in South Gyeongsang—severe heat wave warnings were issued. Heat wave warnings are in effect in 154 zones, and heat wave advisories are in effect in 50 zones.
As heat wave damage spread, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety raised the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' response level to level 2 as of 1 p.m. that day and strengthened the pan-government response.
The level 2 activation of the heat wave headquarters is triggered when, in 60% or more of local land forecast zones nationwide, a maximum perceived temperature of 35 degrees or higher persists for three days or more, or when it is expected that in 40% or more but less than 60% of zones, a maximum perceived temperature of 38 degrees or higher will persist for three days or more.
It is the first time in three years since August 2023 that the level 2 heat wave headquarters has been activated. Since heat waves were included as a natural disaster in 2018, this is the second time.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) asked related ministries and local governments to strengthen protection for vulnerable groups and to conduct intensive inspections of outdoor workplaces. It also urged thorough implementation of measures to reduce damage in the agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors.