A total of 21 people have died from heat-related illnesses so far this year as one of the most severe heat waves continues across the nation, officials said Wednesday.

The death toll related to heat-related illnesses, recorded from May 20 to Monday, rose to 21, data from the interior ministry showed.

During the period, 2,407 people experienced heat-related illnesses, including 102 on Monday, which is 239 more than during the same period last year.

From June 11 to Tuesday, 763,000 livestock died from extreme heat.

Seoul experienced its 24th tropical night in a row from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, marking the second-longest streak since 1907.

The weather agency predicted that the ongoing heat wave may continue through Thursday and beyond, potentially setting a record for the longest consecutive streak of tropical nights.

Source: Yonhap News Agency