Two men die while working outdoors during heat wave in Gyeonggi and Busan

Two older men died in suspected heat-related incidents while working outdoors in Gimpo, Gyeonggi, and Busan, as heat wave alerts remain in effect across the country.

A neighbor found a man in his 80s collapsed inside a greenhouse in Gochon-eup, Gimpo, at around 5 p.m. on Sunday, according to fire authorities on Monday.

The man was already dead by the time emergency responders arrived. Police and fire authorities believe that he died of a heat-related illness while working but are still investigating the exact circumstances of the incident.

A heat wave advisory had been in effect in Gimpo since July 23. The advisory was upgraded to a warning on Saturday, the second of three tiers in the Korea Meteorological Administration’s heat alert system.

A heat wave warning is issued when the daily maximum apparent temperature is expected to remain at or over 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least two consecutive days or when significant heat-related damage is expected.

In Busan, a man in his 70s collapsed while working on a small farm in Daejeo-dong, Gangseo District, at around 6:24 p.m., again in a suspected heat-related incident. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

His body temperature measured 39.5 degrees Celsius when he was found.

Busan had already reported another suspected heat-related death on Thursday.

BY KO SEUNG-PYO [[email protected]]