By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter


The heat wave gripping the nation has led to drowning deaths, with more people going outdoors to cool off from the summer.

Police said Monday that 12 people drowned on Sunday, with most of the incidents occurring in outdoor water venues unsupervised by safety guards.

Four people also died on the same day by heat-related illnesses, while five people were hospitalized after they collapsed from heat stress, according to the reports.

The Korea Metrological Administration expected the hot and humid weather, recently pushing daytime highs over 35 degrees Celsius, will continue through early next month, although it forecasts a mild dip in temperatures after Thursday when rain is expected nationwide.

``We are expecting more hot days through the start of next month, when morning lows reach above 25 degrees Celsius and the daytime highs to reach over 35 degrees Celsius. It is a time to be cautious about personal health and safety,’’ said a KMA official.

For today, daytime highs are expected to reach 31 degrees in Seoul and Suwon and 32 degrees in Chunchon and Taejon. Morning low temperatures are expected to go over 24 degrees in several regions, including Seoul, Suwon, Kwangju and Cheju Island.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said they will deploy extra emergency medical personnel deploy extra emergency medical units to handle the increasing health problems caused by the hot weather. Under the plan, the National Medical Center will headquarter the operations of the emergency units at health centers across the country.

The ministry also plans to guard against the possible outbreaks of infectious diseases or food poisoning, while strengthening monitoring efforts on people such as the elderly and homeless, who could be more vulnerable to heat-related health issues.

With a larger number people leaving their homes for lakes, rivers, beaches and other outdoor venues to beat the heat, there are increasing worries over the increase of drowning and other safety accidents. Health authorities recommend people not to swim alone and never leave children or the elderly unsupervised in or around the water.

Among the drowning victims identified Sunday was a 75-year-old man who drowned in the waters of a public beach in South Cholla Province, after he failed to swim back to shore due to cramps in his legs. A 12-year-old also drowned at a river in Yonchon, Kyonggi Province, after being swept away by a swift current.

Heat-related illnesses are also becoming a problem. A 51-year-old Mongolian national collapsed under excessive heat Wednesday while working in a chicken farm in South Cholla Province Wednesday and died at a nearby hospital in Sunday. He is among the four people who died during the same day due to heat-related illnesses.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr