Drone warnings, sheltering in airports: South Korea battles historic heatwave

South Korean authorities are deploying drones to issue heat warnings to farmers while residents are taking shelter in airports, as the country battles an unprecedented heatwave.

President Lee Jae Myung has ordered public agencies to mobilise all available resources to deal with the extreme heat, which he has called a “national disaster”.

Temperatures in the south soared to a record 42.5C (108.5F) earlier this week.

At least 23 people have died from heat-related illnesses in the country so far this year, while nearly 2,500 have visited emergency rooms for heat-related conditions since mid-May, authorities say.

“Heatwave conditions once seen only in foreign news reports have now become our reality,” Lee said on Thursday.

Some local governments have deployed trucks to parks, markets and bus stops to distribute chilled bottled waters for free.

In the southern city of Yangsan, where the mercury hit a historic high of 42.5C on Sunday, fleets of sprinkler trucks have been roaming the streets, spraying water onto sun-baked roads.

Meanwhile in rural areas such as North Gyeongsang province, local authorities are deploying drones attached with loudspeakers and thermal imaging cameras to protect its farmers, many of whom are also elderly.

The drones hover over the farmers, broadcasting warnings such as “it’s hot, you need to go inside” to remind them to take breaks and cool down.