(image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul’s nighttime low temperature has continued to hit a record high amid an extended heat wave, the state weather agency said Friday.
The capital’s overnight lows reached 30.4 C on Thursday night, higher than the 30.3 C recorded the previous night, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.
It marked the highest nighttime lows since the weather agency began to compile related data in 1907.
Seoul’s daytime temperature reached 37.9 C Thursday, lower than the record 39.6 C on Wednesday, but its nighttime lows Thursday were higher than the previous day.
Seoul citizens have been dealing with tropical nights for 13 consecutive days as the country has been gripped by an unprecedented long heat wave for weeks.
Tropical nights occur when the nighttime mercury does not fall below 25 C between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. of the next day.
Other than the capital, some other cities, including Incheon, west of Seoul, logged record-breaking nighttime lows Thursday.
“In most parts of the country, extremely hot weather will continue Friday as daytime highs are expected to go above 35 C,” the weather agency said.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2,799 people suffered from heat-related ailments from May 20 to Aug. 2, 35 of whom died.
Among the total, 885 people, or 32 percent, were aged 65 or older, followed by those in their 50s with 573, and 40s with 418.
Heat exhaustion was the most common ailment with 1,526 cases reported, followed by heat stroke and heat cramps with 700 and 271, respectively, it said.
(Yonhap)
