South Korea has been hit by a heatwave causing hundreds of people to suffer from heat exhaustion.
The 25th World Scout Jamboree in Buan, South Korea, experienced a heat-related challenge as hundreds of participants suffered from heat exhaustion.
On the first night of the event, approximately 400 cases were reported, and many were treated at a temporary hospital set up at the campsite.
The North Jeolla province, where the jamboree took place, faced scorching temperatures of 35C (95F) during a heatwave warning.
This renowned youth camp, attended by around 43,000 Scouts, including adults like celebrity survivalist Bear Grylls, saw participants ranging from 14 to 18 years old.
Most of the Scouts who required medical attention had mild symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and nausea, and they have since returned to their campsites.
The heat exhaustion affected Scouts from various countries, including the United States, Britain, and Bangladesh, as reported by local media.
South Korea’s interior minister Lee Sang-min on Thursday urged jamboree organizers to adjust their programs according to the number and severity of cases.
Choi Chang-hang, secretary general of the event’s organizing committee, told a press conference on Thursday that 39 people are still being treated at medical institutions.
He added that additional medical personnel have been deployed at the event, and cooling devices are on-site to ensure the event can proceed smoothly.
Parts of South Korea have been roasting in an unusually hot summer.
Earlier this week, Seoul authorities raised its hot-weather warning to the highest level for the first time in four years, as temperatures hovered between 33C and 38C.
The scorching heat is estimated to have killed at least 16 people across the country, more than doubling the record of seven during the same period last year.
