The Heat Is Gripping the Country... Tropical Nights, Heat Illnesses, and Livestock Deaths Spread

[Financial News] In South Gyeongsang Province, the apparent temperature rose above 38 degrees Celsius, and a life-threatening heat wave continued, driving up damage to people and the livestock and farming industries. So far this year, the number of heat-related illness cases has climbed to 1,482, with nine deaths recorded. As heat waves and tropical nights are expected to continue for the time being, health management for vulnerable groups such as older adults, outdoor workers, and farmers and fishers has become urgent.
The nationwide average number of tropical nights also hit a record high of 7.8 days as of the 27th. With the heat wave and tropical nights likely to continue for now, there are growing concerns over health risks and livelihood losses for vulnerable groups, including older adults, outdoor workers, and farmers and fishers.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on the 28th, a severe heat warning was in effect as of 3 p.m. in South Gyeongsang Province and Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province. Heat advisories were also issued for most other parts of the country. The highest apparent temperatures reached 38 degrees Celsius in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, 37.2 degrees in Gwangyang-eup, and 36.4 degrees in Geumsa, Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province.
The prolonged high temperatures are being driven by Jeju and the southern regions under the influence of the North Pacific high-pressure system, while central regions remain on the edge of a high-pressure zone. Warm, humid air is flowing in along the edge of the high-pressure system, and strong sunlight is adding to the rise in both air temperature and apparent temperature.
According to the KDCA's emergency room surveillance system for heat-related illnesses, 73 patients and one death were added in a single day on the 27th. From May 15 to the 27th, a total of 1,482 heat-related illness cases were reported. Of those, nine were presumed deaths.
That is still lower than the same period last year. Between May 15 and July 27 last year, there were 2,474 heat-related illness cases and 14 presumed deaths.
Damage is continuing on the ground. In Busan, a woman in her 20s who was walking along a street in Suyeong District on the 27th complained of dizziness and was taken to a hospital. The day before, an 80-year-old woman collapsed while walking in Nam District. Her body temperature reportedly rose to 39.1 degrees Celsius at the time.
The damage is concentrated among older adults and outdoor workers, whose ability to regulate body temperature is weaker.
The NFA has also activated its heat-wave safety headquarters. To prepare for heat-related illness cases, it is operating more than 1,600 heat-wave ambulances nationwide. The ambulances are equipped with 320,000 items across nine types of heat-response gear, including cooling vests.
It is also strengthening AI-based predictions of heat-related illness cases. By analyzing heat-related illness trends and heat-wave conditions over the past five years, it plans to forecast weekly case numbers and respond in advance to areas where ambulance demand is expected to rise.

The heat is also causing damage to livestock farms. As of the 27th, South Gyeongsang Province reported 12,121 livestock deaths, including 3,291 pigs and 8,830 chickens.
In Daegu–Gyeongbuk, 75,283 animals died from the heat, including 5,400 pigs and 69,833 chickens. North Jeolla Province also reported damage to 69,253 animals, including 61,681 chickens, 5,966 ducks, and 1,606 pigs.
South Chungcheong Province recorded damage to 23,781 animals through the 24th, while North Chungcheong Province reported 22,332 losses through the 26th. In Jeonnam-Gwangju, livestock deaths at 111 farms totaled 17,749 animals, causing property damage of 297 million won.
The impact of the heat is spreading to the sea as well. In fish farms in Tongyeong, Geoje, and Namhae in South Gyeongsang Province, surface water temperatures recently jumped by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius, reaching 28 to 29 degrees. Although a large-scale die-off has not yet occurred because the temperature gap between the surface and deeper water has been maintained, there are concerns that major losses could follow if deeper water temperatures also rise.
The heat wave is also putting pressure on infrastructure. Daejeon Transportation Corporation carried out an emergency inspection of urban rail facilities to prevent service disruptions caused by rising track temperatures. It focused on the operating condition of track sprinkling equipment, catenary tension adjustment devices, and cooling systems in signal equipment rooms. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said, "I believe this week will be a critical turning point," and instructed relevant ministries to inspect heat-vulnerable sites such as cramped residential areas, worksites, and construction sites "more thoroughly than necessary."



[email protected] Reporter Lee Bo-mi Reporter