South Korea's heatwave death toll rises to 21

Seoul, Aug 13 : South Korea's heatwave death toll has risen to 21 so far this year, with almost 2,300 people treated for heat-related illnesses, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said.

A 56-year-old man died during hospital treatment on Monday after being found on the street near his home the previous day, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting the ministry.

The death raised the heat-related death toll to 21 between May 20 and August 11 amid the continued scorching heat across the country.

The total number of patients treated for heat-related illnesses between May 20 and August 11 climbed to 2,293, higher than 2,139 tallied in the same period of 2023.

The ongoing heatwave killed 703,000 heads of livestock, including 658,000 poultry, along with 895,000 cultured fish, from June 11 to August 12.

The weather agency expected the heatwave to continue for the time being in most areas of the country with tropical nights forecast to hit the western region and the coastal areas.

Tuesday's daytime temperatures were estimated at a range of 30-36 degrees Celsius nationwide.