Capital city Seoul on Tuesday raised the heat alert to the highest level as high temperature warnings were issued in most parts of South Korea.
Data showed that from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7, the maximum temperature in Seoul has remained above 32 degrees Celsius.
Data from the country's Ministry of the Interior and Safety showed that as of Tuesday evening, the number of patients with heat-related diseases in South Korea had reached 1,810 since May this year, including 17 deaths.
As the heat wave continues to rage, South Korea's professional baseball league has canceled a scheduled game on Friday due to high temperatures, the first time in the league's 42-year history for a game cancellation due to extreme heat.
On Tuesday, passengers in a carriage of the Seoul Metro line 4 reported burning smell and smoke, and more than 300 passengers were evacuated and one of the two tracks was temporarily closed. Subsequent investigations showed that the burning smell and smoke were caused by the train braking on the overheated tracks.
Meanwhile, due to the sharp surge in electricity consumption, large-scale power outages have occurred in many residential areas in the country, with some communities experiencing power outages for up to 18 hours.
South Korea's manufacturing industry has gradually resumed production as the summer holiday season comes to an end, and coupled with the increase in people's electricity demand, the country's maximum electricity demand reached 93.8 gigawatts (GW) on Tuesday afternoon, setting a new summer record.
South Korea's capital city raises heat alert to highest level
South Korea's capital city raises heat alert to highest level
An oil spill in northwestern Ecuador is continuing to spread, causing an environmental crisis that is damaging the local ecosystem and impacting residents' lives.
The spill in the Canton Quininde area of Esmeraldas Province was caused by a landslide on Friday that ruptured a major oil pipeline, according to a statement from the State Petroleum Company of Ecuador.
Following the incident, Ecuadorian authorities declared an environmental emergency to minimize the damage and protect local residents' livelihoods.
Efforts to contain the spill are underway, but as of Monday, the spill has continued to spread.
An estimated 200,000 barrels of oil have been spilled so far, affecting an area of 50 kilometers and contaminating several rivers and even some coastal sea areas.
In addition, drinking water supplies to over 50,000 households in the affected area have been cut off due to the contamination. The ongoing oil spill has also led to widespread illness among locals, while fishermen have to suspend their activities.
"Children have been severely affected by the oil contamination, with a three-month-old infant having a fever. Our community is experiencing an outbreak of illness, with many people having sore throats. Fishermen have also been heavily impacted, as they are unable to go out to sea to fish," said Wilson Ganchile Tenorio, a local official.
Meanwhile, the oil spill has forced many beaches in Esmeraldas to close, severely disrupting local tourism.
"It affects a lot of people severely. It's not just us—everyone in the travel industry has been impacted. The situation is awful right now," said Luis Carlos Guanapatin, a local vendor.
Ecuador's ongoing oil spill worsens environmental crisis, impacts communities
