Central Median Asphalt Heat Unable to Withstand
No Casualties or Vehicle Accidents Reported
In Daegu, known as ‘Daefrica’ (a term comparing the hot weather in Daegu to Africa), the road median barrier melted due to the intense heat of the asphalt.
On the 3rd, as daytime temperatures in Daegu soared to 37.7 degrees Celsius, the median barrier installed on the road in front of the Padoeng Administrative Welfare Center in Suseong-gu collapsed under the heat. The Suseong-gu authorities stated that the lower part of the median barrier was made of polyurethane material to withstand the impact of traffic accidents. [Image source=Yonhap News]
According to Daegu Suseong Police Station and Yonhap News on the 3rd, the road median barrier installed in front of the Padong Administrative Welfare Center in Suseong-gu collapsed and partially covered the road.
Photos released show that the collapsed section of the median barrier is about 50 meters long, with the barrier fallen to one side. The plastic median barriers standing on both sides also appear as if they could melt soon due to the heat from the asphalt.
However, it is reported that there were no significant casualties or accidents. The police stated that traffic flow was not notably affected.
This is not the first time a median barrier in Daegu has collapsed due to the heatwave. On the 31st of last month, median barriers around Sinmae Market in Suseong-gu also collapsed.
On the 3rd, when a heatwave warning was issued in Daegu, the daytime temperature soared to 37.5 degrees Celsius. On the same day, the Daegu city government raised the heatwave disaster crisis response alert level from “caution” to “serious.” They established a cooperative system with related organizations to ensure the safety of farmers and minimize crop damage, launching an all-out response.
Not only in Daegu but also across the country, as the heatwave continues, the number of heat-related illness patients is rapidly increasing, and deaths are occurring consecutively.
According to fire authorities on the 2nd, from the start of this year’s heatwave countermeasure period on May 20th until the end of last month, the estimated number of deaths due to heat-related illnesses was 21.
Adding the estimated heat-related deaths that occurred the previous day in Yeongcheon, Gyeongbuk, and Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, the total number of estimated heat-related deaths this year rises to 23. This is more than three times the 7 deaths recorded during the same period last year.
By region, Gyeongbuk had the highest number with 10 deaths, followed by Chungbuk with 4, Gyeongnam with 4, Jeonbuk with 2, Chungnam with 2, and Ulsan with 1.
Meanwhile, at the Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree campsite, a global festival for youth, 400 cases of heat-related illnesses have been reported.
The Jamboree organizing committee strengthened the cooling functions of the herb clinic starting that day to prepare for the heatwave, and shortened the shuttle bus intervals from 30 minutes to 10 minutes to reduce waiting times.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety activated Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) at 6 p.m. on the 1st in preparation for the worsening heatwave situation.
The heatwave crisis alert level was also raised to the highest “serious” level in four years.
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