[Anchor]
Today, July 12, the first-ever severe heat wave warning was issued for Gyeongsan and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province. This indicates that the heat has reached a level capable of causing significant harm not only to the elderly and vulnerable but also to healthy individuals. The number of patients suffering from heat-related illnesses has increased nearly fivefold in just one day.
Our first report is from reporter Jeong Gu-hui.
[Reporter]
The streets of Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, which saw temperatures soar to 39.9°C (104°F) yesterday, were empty today due to the relentless heat.
[Interview: Lee Ok-ja / Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan City: It has been very hot yesterday and today. Even with the breeze, it is unbearable.]
When captured with a thermal imaging camera, the temperature of asphalt in downtown Seoul reached 50°C (122°F), and building exteriors were emitting heat exceeding 40°C (104°F).
[Interview: Song Myeong-gi / Anyang City, Gyeonggi Province: I feel like I wouldn't be able to walk without a parasol. It is so hot that I feel like I might collapse.]
Today, a severe heat wave warning was issued for Gyeongsan and Pohang for the first time.
This is the highest level of warning, newly established this year, 18 years after the heat wave advisory system was introduced in 2008. It is issued when the perceived temperature is expected to exceed 38°C (100°F) or the daily high is expected to surpass 39°C (102°F).
According to an analysis by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, when the perceived temperature exceeds the 38°C (100°F) threshold for a severe heat wave warning, the risk of death increases by 4%, and by 19% for those aged 65 and older.
[Interview: Lee Mi-sun / Administrator of the Korea Meteorological Administration: A severe heat wave warning does not simply mean the weather is very hot. It signifies a situation where there is a significantly high risk of serious harm, such as heat-related illness or death, even for healthy people.]
Heat-related illnesses are also occurring in rapid succession.
Across the country, 99 cases were reported yesterday alone, an increase of nearly five times compared to the 21 cases reported the previous day.
With multiple patients reported today after being transported to hospitals while working on farms or at construction sites, the number of heat-related illness cases is expected to rise further.
The cause of this heat wave is the North Pacific High and the Tibetan High covering the lower and upper layers of the Korean Peninsula, trapping the heat. Additionally, southwesterly winds crossing over mountain ranges are further driving up temperatures in the Yeongnam region.
Today, Daegu reached 37°C (99°F) and Gyeongju reached 36.8°C (98°F), with temperatures higher than human body temperature. Seoul also recorded 35°C (95°F), marking its highest temperature of the year.
Reported by Kim Tae-hun | Video by Kim Yun-seong | Graphics by Jo Su-in, Park Tae-young, and Go Dae-seung (TBC)
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