Disaster-Level Heatwave Hits South Korea... Cumulative Heat-Related Deaths Reach 21

[Anchor]

The fact that professional baseball schedules have been completely suspended symbolically shows just how severe this summer's heatwave is, reaching disaster levels. Let's go live to Jamsil Baseball Stadium, where the games were canceled.

Reporter Cho Min-ki, at this time it would normally be the middle of a game, but the atmosphere seems quite different today (August 5)?

[Reporter]

I am standing in front of the ticket booth at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

This area, which would usually be filled with loud cheers and team songs, is very quiet.

The spectator stands, where families, friends, and couples usually cheer at the top of their lungs, are currently empty.

The lights illuminating the stadium are all turned off, and the stadium gates are closed.

The Doosan Bears and NC Dinos players only completed about an hour of light training this afternoon (August 5) before dispersing.

The away team, the NC Dinos, who had originally planned to return to Changwon after finishing their three-game series through tomorrow, returned early this evening following the game cancellations.

[Anchor]

Just how hot was it today for all games nationwide to be canceled?

[Reporter]

The daytime high temperature here in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, where the stadium is located, reached 37.4°C (99°F).

This was 0.5°C higher than the official observation temperature recorded in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

While the heatwave previously hammered the Yeongnam region, today it intensely heated western areas, including the greater Seoul metropolitan area.

Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, recorded 39.3°C (103°F), making it the hottest place in the country today.

Nowon-gu in Seoul followed closely behind at 39.2°C (103°F).

In Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, the highest-level heatwave warning, a serious heatwave alert, was issued this morning at 11:00 AM.

This is the first time a serious heatwave warning has been issued in Chungcheong Province.

Due to this extreme heatwave, the number of heat-related illness patients is also increasing.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced that 198 heat-related illness cases occurred yesterday alone, among which a man in his 60s was found dead in a field in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province.

This brings the total number of deaths this year to 21, surpassing the number of deaths recorded during the same period last year.

(On-site reporting: Pyeon Chan-hyung | Video editing: Yoon Tae-ho)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.