Eight runners were taken to hospital with heat-related illnesses after a marathon near South Korea’s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with North Korea took place amid record temperatures, according to local authorities. Temperatures approached 30°C (86°F) for Sunday’s race in the city of Paju as much of the Korean Peninsula baked under a warm front more akin to summer than its typically mild spring weather.

Emergency services received reports around 10:30 a.m. (01:30 GMT) that participants were collapsing along the race route in Munsan, a town within Paju, as stated by fire officials and local reports. Twelve runners fell ill, including suffering convulsions, dizziness, and hyperventilation, officials told the AFP news agency on Monday. Eight were hospitalized, including a 43-year-old who required intensive care.

Authorities indicated that the stricken runners appeared to have pushed themselves despite the rising heat. A fire official urged people to watch for signs of heatstroke and “stop exercising immediately and cool down” if they occur. In the capital, Seoul, about 30 km (19 miles) from Paju, temperatures hit 29.4°C (84.9°F) over the weekend, the highest in mid-April since modern record-keeping began in 1907. The Korea Meteorological Administration told AFP that the heat spike was likely caused by a temporary weather system drawing warm air northwards, a pattern sometimes seen during spring.

Source: www.aljazeera.com