South Korea's heat wave death toll rises to 23

SEOUL - The death toll from this summer's heat wave in South Korea rose to 23, Xinhua quoted the Yonhap news agency as saying on Wednesday citing the fire authorities.

Two additional deaths from heatstroke were reported on Tuesday, and the estimated death toll gained to 23, more than three times higher than seven deaths tallied in the same period of last year.

Most of the deceased were elderly farmers working outside in the sweltering heat.

The heat wave struck the hardest in the southeastern North Gyeongsang province, of which the heatstroke deaths reached 10.

South Korea has recently struggled with a severe heat wave as the daytime highs stayed around 35 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country. - BERNAMA