A severe heat wave is impacting Northeast Asia, with South Korea, North Korea, and Japan reporting record-breaking temperatures that have led to human fatalities, widespread illness, and the deaths of numerous animals.
In South Korea, temperatures in the greater Seoul area have reached as high as 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 degrees Fahrenheit). The southeastern city of Yangsan recorded 42.5 Celsius (108.5 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, the highest temperature since weather observations began in 1904. The nation's Interior and Safety Ministry reported that approximately 2,220 people have been diagnosed with heat-related illnesses and 19 have died since mid-May. Additionally, about 17,140 livestock, including chickens, ducks, and pigs, and around 160,000 farmed fish have perished.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials to treat the ongoing heat wave as a "national disaster" and to prioritize protecting lives. The extreme heat has also disrupted sporting events. On Tuesday night, a spectator in his 20s collapsed during a baseball game in Incheon, leading to a temporary halt. The Korea Baseball Organization announced the cancellation of all 10 scheduled games for Wednesday and Thursday.
North Korean authorities have issued a heat wave advisory for many regions and urged citizens to take precautions against heat-related health issues. Min Son Yong, deputy director of internal medicine at Pyongyang General Hospital, recommended consuming dog meat and fish porridge to boost protein intake and combat the heat, according to the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun. Watermelons, cucumbers, tomatoes, mung beans, and ginger were also suggested for cooling down.
Japan has also been severely affected. During the week of July 20 to 26, the country's anti-disaster agency reported that over 18,000 people were hospitalized with heat stroke symptoms. In the southwestern city of Kumamoto, where recovery efforts are underway after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake on July 28, a woman in her 70s died from heat stroke while taking shelter in a car. More than 43,000 households were still without water on Wednesday following the earthquake.
The heat wave has taken a toll on wildlife as well. Three lions at Tokyo's Tama Zoological Park have died. Zoo officials suspect heat was the cause, with autopsies revealing dehydration and multiple organ failure in the animals. Mugi, an 11-year-old lion, died on July 28 despite efforts to cool her and provide medical treatment. Two other female lions, Ichigo and Luena, also died within days of each other.