Seoul Reports First Suspected Heat-Related Death This Year
Mayor Oh Se-hoon Orders 'Emergency Response' During Business Trip
As a heatwave advisory has continued in Seoul for nearly ten days, the Seoul Metropolitan Government held an emergency response meeting together with the autonomous districts.
Seoul announced that on the 1st at 10:30 a.m., under the chairmanship of the 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors for Administration, it held the "Emergency City-District Joint Response Meeting for Heatwave Crisis."
On the morning of the 1st, the Seoul Metropolitan Government held an 'Emergency City-District Joint Response Meeting for the Heatwave Crisis' at Seoul City Hall, chaired by the 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors of Administration. Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Government
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's "Heat-related Illness Emergency Room Surveillance System," the number of heat-related illness patients in Seoul from May 20 to July 30 totaled 55, including one death. Upon receiving the related report, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was on a business trip to China, received a situation report by phone from the 2nd Deputy Mayor for Administration and instructed emergency response measures to minimize damage.
As of that day, Seoul has been under a heatwave advisory for nearly ten days since the 24th of last month. From the 31st of last month, a heatwave warning was issued throughout Seoul. According to the heatwave crisis alert level, the city is operating a comprehensive heatwave support situation room together with the autonomous districts.
The meeting was held via video conference with the participation of the 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors for Administration, the Director of Welfare, the Director of Disaster Safety Planning, the Head of Urban Infrastructure Headquarters, and the deputy district heads of the 25 autonomous districts. They focused on heatwave measures closely related to citizens' lives, including ▲ enhancing the operation of cooling shelters ▲ expanding water cleaning operations to reduce urban heat ▲ prevention measures for heat-related illnesses among outdoor workers and vulnerable groups ▲ and improving convenience of location-based heatwave evacuation facility information services.
The meeting also reviewed major heatwave measures being promoted by the 25 autonomous districts and reaffirmed the need to maintain cooperative relationships with the city and join forces in preparation for frequent adjustments to the heatwave outdoor stage due to abnormal climate conditions.
Yoo Chang-soo, the 2nd Deputy Mayor for Administration, urged, "In the reality where heatwaves are approaching as disasters, please focus administrative power on protecting heatwave-vulnerable groups, expanding heatwave mitigation facilities, and strengthening safety management of heatwave-vulnerable facilities, covering overall urban safety."
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