North Gyeongsang Province flies drones to warn elderly farmers as heatwave kills 21

North Gyeongsang Province is deploying loudspeaker-equipped drones to warn elderly farmers to rest as South Korea battles a record heatwave that has killed 21 people. Temperatures reached 41.2°C (106°F) in the province, whose farming households are led 59.2% by people aged 65 or older. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called the heatwave a national disaster Thursday. Officials fly the drones twice daily, covering up to five kilometers. Built with the Korea Forest Service in 2023 for wildlife monitoring, the system was adapted for heat alerts last year. Other regions, including Gwangju, use similar drones; farmers report a 30% crop yield decline.