# Northeast Asia heat wave disaster > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/northeast-asia-heat-wave-disaster > Updated: 2026-08-05T22:56:15.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2. In August 2026 a record‑breaking heat wave swept Japan, South Korea and North Korea, producing temperatures above 42 °C and triggering a national disaster declaration. The extreme heat caused dozens of heat‑related deaths, thousands of illnesses, and massive losses in livestock and farmed fish across the region. South Korean authorities reported over 2,200 heat‑related patients and 19 fatalities, while Japan saw more than 18,000 hospitalisations. Follow‑up reporting focused on the economic fallout in South Korea’s aquaculture and livestock sectors. Sea‑surface temperatures above 28 °C led to the death of roughly 450,000 farmed fish and 688,000 livestock, prompting 69 insurance claims worth about 1.6 billion KRW. Government ministries allocated billions of won for emergency cooling equipment and field inspections, and cooperatives dispatched water trucks, cooling shelters and underwater drones to assess damage and accelerate payouts. Together the reports illustrate how the heat wave evolved from a public‑health emergency to a large‑scale agricultural and financial crisis, prompting coordinated disaster response and insurance mechanisms across the affected nations. ## Claims - Sea surface temperatures above 28 °C persisted for at least three days in Jeju and other coastal areas, triggering a high‑temperature alert. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Nationwide, 69 fish‑farm insurance claims were filed, with total damage estimated at 1.6 billion KRW. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The Fisheries Cooperative dispatched damage‑assessment teams and used underwater drones to monitor affected farms. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Approximately 450,000 farmed fish died due to high water temperature, causing damage worth about 1.05 billion KRW. (single source) - Heat‑related livestock deaths reached about 688,000 animals. (single source) - The Agricultural Cooperative provided water trucks, cooling equipment, shelters, and nutritional support to affected farms and livestock. (single source) - The government allocated 9.4 billion KRW for high‑temperature response equipment, including liquid‑oxygen supply devices. (single source) - The Ministry of Agriculture reported 361 heat‑related illness cases, with five deaths. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-05: South Korea heatwave drives fish farm deaths, triggers insurance payouts Heatwave in South Korea killed 450,000 farmed fish, 688,000 livestock, spurred 69 insurance claims (1.6 bn KRW) and prompted cooperative and government emergency support. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-koreas-heatwave-kills-11-million-fish-and-livestock-triggers-insurance-response ### 2026-08-05: Record heat wave in Northeast Asia causes deaths and massive livestock losses A record heat wave across Japan, South Korea and North Korea has caused dozens of deaths, thousands of heat‑stroke cases, and massive livestock losses, prompting emergency measures and public health advisories. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/record-heat-wave-in-northeast-asia-causes-deaths-and-massive-livestock-losses --- Cite as: Northeast Asia heat wave disaster. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/northeast-asia-heat-wave-disaster