On the 26th, vacationers are cooling off from the intense heat at Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon-do. On this day, Gyeongpo Beach was under a "swimming caution" status due to high waves and rip currents, allowing water activities but requiring extra care. [Yonhap News] 

With the summer vacation season in full swing, the final weekend of July is seeing a wave of heat-related illnesses as scorching temperatures, with perceived temperatures soaring to around 38 degrees Celsius, persist, particularly in the southern regions.

As the sweltering heat continues, large crowds have flocked to beaches, valleys, and water parks across the country.

On the 26th, citizens are enduring the heat by cooling off at the water park in Nammae Park, Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, where a major heatwave warning is in effect. [Yonhap News]

◇ Intense Heat with Perceived Temperatures Up to 38 Degrees… Oppressive Nights

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on the 26th, perceived temperatures reached around 38 degrees Celsius, primarily in southern regions including South Jeolla, North and South Gyeongsang provinces, and Daegu, where major heatwave warnings have been issued.

Notably, as of 2:00 PM that day, Yangsan in South Gyeongsang Province recorded a daytime high of 39.3 degrees, surpassing the 39.1 degrees recorded the previous day.

The Seoul metropolitan area, Gangwon, Chungcheong, and Jeju also experienced hot weather with perceived temperatures climbing to around 36 degrees.

The persistent heat has led to suspected heat-related deaths in Jeju and South Jeolla/Gwangju, along with a continuous surge in heat-related illnesses.

Around 3:15 PM on the 25th, a Thai national in his 30s collapsed after complaining of dizziness on a farm path in Hwangsan-myeon, Haenam-gun, South Jeolla Province. He was transported to a hospital but later passed away.

Earlier, on the 16th, an 80-year-old woman in Jeju City, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, was taken to the hospital suffering from loss of consciousness and respiratory distress; she succumbed to her condition on the 20th.

On the morning of the 25th, around 9:26 AM, a crew member in his 50s aboard a fishing boat in Sora-myeon, Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, showed signs of heat exhaustion while working with nets and was transported to a hospital on land for treatment. In the Chungnam region, four heat-related illnesses were reported on the same day, with two individuals hospitalized and two treated on-site.

The stifling heat is also leading to an increase in livestock deaths.

As of the 24th, a total of 19,992 livestock, including 19,105 chickens, 432 ducks, and 455 pigs, have died due to the heatwave in North Chungcheong Province.

In response, livestock farmers are struggling to minimize heat damage by running fans and cooling pads in barns, frequently spraying roofs with water, and providing ice to their animals.

The midsummer heat persists into the night as well.

From 6:00 PM on the 25th to 6:00 AM on the 26th, most parts of the country experienced "tropical nights," with overnight lows remaining at or above 25 degrees Celsius.

In Busan, the tropical night phenomenon has persisted for a full week.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's emergency room monitoring system for heat-related illnesses, 1,232 cases and 5 deaths have been reported nationwide this year as of the 23rd.

On the 26th, under a heatwave advisory, citizens and tourists enjoy a pleasant moment admiring lotus flowers at Deokjin Park in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. [Yonhap News]

◇ Nationwide Beaches Packed with Crowds… Urban Areas Quiet

The suffocating heat drove crowds to beaches across the country on this day.

With the peak vacation season in late July and early August, citizens and tourists flocked to beaches in the Busan area to escape the blistering heat.

At Songjeong Beach, a famous surfing spot, surfers caught waves one after another, adding to the midsummer atmosphere.

Major beaches such as Haeundae, Songjeong, and Gwangalli in Busan were packed with people, mirroring the crowd of 366,440 visitors seen the previous day.

In Jeju, major beaches including Hamdeok, Hyeopjae, Iho Tewoo, and Jungmun Saekdal also saw a steady stream of visitors looking to cool off in the water.

Along the east coast of Gangwon-do, including Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung and Sokcho Beach, vacationers cooled down by letting the high waves wash over them.

In Gangneung, families were seen laying out mats in the pine forests near the beach or relaxing in camping chairs.

Daecheon Beach, where the Boryeong Mud Festival began on the 24th, was bustling with tourists eager to enjoy mud activities and performances.

Meanwhile, downtown areas in cities like Gyeongju, Pohang, and Daegu appeared quiet, with a noticeable decrease in foot traffic due to the blistering heat.

Instead, department stores, large supermarkets, and cultural facilities were crowded with citizens seeking to escape the heat.

A flyboard performance is taking place at the opening of the water park at the Inje Haneulnaerin Center in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do, on the 25th. Inje-gun, in cooperation with the K-water Soyang River Dam Branch, will operate the water park until August 17th. [Provided by Inje-gun] 

◇ Valleys, Caves, and Waterfalls Also Crowded… Showers Expected Nationwide Today and Tomorrow

Beyond the beaches, recreational sites like valleys, caves, and waterfalls also drew visitors seeking respite from the heat.

Popular spots such as Sojeongbang Waterfall and Donnaeko Wonang Waterfall in Seogwipo, Jeju, as well as Woldaecheon in Oedo-dong and Nonjitmul in Yerae-dong, were bustling with crowds.

Kim (37), a local resident who visited the Woldaecheon festival site in Oedo-dong, Jeju, said, "It’s a murderous heat where even sitting still makes you sweat, but I’m trying to forget the heat by playing in the water with my kids at the festival."

The water park at the Inje Haneulnaerin Center in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do, which opened on the 25th, attracted a steady stream of family visitors.

Visitors enjoyed water play on large inflatable facilities and forgot the heat while watching spectacular flyboard performances cutting through the water jets.

At Baedam Valley in Buk-myeon, Inje-gun, vacationers also gathered to create summer memories by playing in the cold valley water flowing from the foothills of Seoraksan Mountain.

In Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, visitors crowded into the cool Gwangmyeong Cave to spend their holiday.

Citizens enjoyed vibrant media facade shows at the 'Cave Arts Center' and built memories while walking along the former gold mine paths.

Large water parks in the Gyeonggi region were also packed from early morning as vacationers looked to cool off, leading to long queues for popular attractions.

Deokjin Park in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, where lotus flowers are in full bloom, saw visitors gather from early morning to take photos and enjoy a leisurely walk during the holiday.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasts showers in most parts of the country today, and in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon region tomorrow.

Expected precipitation for the day is 10–50mm for Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi; 10–50mm for Gangwon; 5–40mm for North Chungcheong; 5–30mm for Daejeon, Sejong, and South Chungcheong; 5–30mm for North Jeolla; 5–40mm for Daegu and North Gyeongsang; 5–30mm for central inland Gyeongnam; and around 5mm for Jeju.

The KMA advised, "Temperatures may drop temporarily in areas where showers occur today and tomorrow, but once the rain stops, the high humidity will cause temperatures to rise again, leading to muggy conditions."

On the night of the 25th, amid a heatwave advisory and tropical night conditions, citizens and tourists at Gwangalli Beach in Suyeong-gu, Busan, watched the 'Gwangalli M Drone Light Show' and cooled off from the mid-summer heat at the seaside. With the summer vacation season in full swing, Gwangalli Beach is crowded until late at night with spectators of the drone show and vacationers. [Yonhap News]