Disaster headquarters activated as Seoul issues highest-level heat wave warning

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday issued the highest-level heat wave warning and activated the Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for the first time as a part of an all-out effort to combat the searing temperatures.

A K-10 decontamination truck sprays water on streets in Nam District, Busan, on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday issued the highest-level heat wave warning and activated the Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters as part of an all-out effort to combat the searing temperatures.

These decisions were made during an emergency meeting convened by Mayor Oh Se-hoon at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, in a move to address temperatures soaring to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and manage the surge in heat-related illnesses.

As of Tuesday, Seoul has been under a heat wave warning for the seventh consecutive day, with 96 reported cases of heat-related illnesses and two fatalities. These alarming statistics prompted the city government to elevate the heat wave warning to the highest level, "serious," within its four-tier system.

With the activation of the disaster and safety countermeasure, the city plans to implement several measures to help residents cool down.

Approximately 220 sprinkler trucks will be deployed on major roads, as well as streets highly frequented by pedestrians, spraying water five to six times daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Additionally, road cooling systems — which are set up on the centerlines of streets and use wastewater from subway stations to spray on roads — will also be operated up to five times a day, and even more often if there is enough usable water.

Installed in 13 areas, including around Seoul City Hall, these systems are expected to reduce road temperatures by seven to nine degrees Celsius.

Construction workers wear cooling vests to cool down at a construction site in Buk District, Gwangju, on Tuesday. [GWANGJU BUK DISTRICT OFFICE]

The city also introduced plans to protect outdoor workers. At construction sites operated under the city government, flexible working hours will be enforced during heat wave alerts, allowing workers to start one to two hours earlier than usual to avoid the hottest parts of the day. Outdoor work between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. will also be limited, except for in emergency situations related to safety.

Currently, about 30 mobile cooling shelters are operated for temporary workers, with mobile camping cars moving into areas with high concentrations of workers.

To help residents avoid the extreme heat, the city will extend the operating hours of cooling areas — including libraries, subway stations and senior centers — until 9 p.m. on weekdays. They will also remain open on weekends and holidays.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visit cooling area near Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Tuesday. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The city currently operates around 3,100 cooling facilities.

Information about the city's cooling areas is available on Seoul's disaster and safety information homepage— https://safecity.seoul.go.kr.

Seoul will also conduct on-site inspections of street vendors to prevent food poisoning.

During a meeting on Tuesday, Oh said the city will "deploy all available means and resources to operate measures by which residents can directly feel their effectiveness in their daily lives."

Oh also urged public officials to pursue all-out efforts to manage groups vulnerable to the heat — including elderly individuals and single households — and announced plans to regularly check in on elderly residents through calls and home visits.

People carrying parasols walk along farmland in Buk District, Daegu, on Tuesday, amid an ongoing heat wave across the nation. [YONHAP]

According to the Central Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, under the Ministry of Interior and Safety, on Tuesday, there have been 1,810 cases of suspected heat-related illness nationwide and 17 deaths, as of Tuesday at 4 p.m.

On Tuesday, 165 areas, including Seoul, were under heat wave alerts.

Additionally, extreme heat since June 11 has resulted in the deaths of 303,000 livestock, including 277,000 poultry, to Monday.

The increased use of cooling devices during the scorching heat also led to a rise in fires related to air conditioners. Out of 14,112 apartment fires from 2019 to 2023, 4,018, or 28.5 percent, occurred during the summer months of June to August.

"Using air conditioners without breaks can ignite fires due to electrical issues, such as short circuits," warned Lee Young-joo, a professor of the School of Fire Safety at Kyungil University.

The weather agency forecasts that the heat wave may continue at least until Aug. 15, with strong winds and rain showers expected through Thursday.

BY MOON HEE-CHUL, WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]