Heat wave deaths over weekend reach at least 17
Since the season's first heat wave alerts went into effect in mid-June, the country has been gripped with sweltering heat, with recent highs at around 35 C in many parts of the country, Yonhap reports.
According to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and fire authorities nationwide, at least 17 people died in connection with the heat wave over the weekend.
North Gyeongsang Province was hit the hardest, with seven elderly farmers killed.
A passerby in his 60s was reported to have collapsed on a farmland path in the province's city of Gyeongsan at 1:24 p.m. Sunday, according to the region's fire agency. His body temperature was measured at 39.2 C.
He was moved to a hospital in a state of cardiac arrest but died.
A farmer in his 80s collapsed and died around 2:10 p.m. Sunday while working on a farm in the city of Mungyeong and another farmer in his 80s died in the county of Yecheon, both in North Gyeongsang Province.
On Saturday alone, the province saw four heat-related deaths involving elderly farmers working outside, in Mungyeong, Gimcheon, Sangju and Gyeongsan, respectively.
In South Gyeongsang Province, two farmers in their 80s were reported to have died while working outdoors in broad daylight Sunday, while an 80-something woman was killed by the heat the previous day while working outside.
On Saturday and Sunday, a 60-something person died of heatstroke while weeding a grave in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province, while a 90-something farmer died while working in the same region. The farmer's body temperature was 41 C at the time the farmer was found.
Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul reported two heat-related deaths, while a farmer died while working in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province.
Authorities were also looking into whether the heat wave was the cause behind the death of a 70-something resident of Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, who was found dead in his yard.
All victims had high body temperatures when they were found, the authorities said.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, six people were presumed to have died from the heat Saturday, while 73 people had suffered heat-related illnesses as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
