News and Society

The majority of southern households have air conditioning in them. You have more than likely heard the phrase "it is not the heat, it is the humidity" if you are from the southern United States. The air is so full of moisture that it seems to cling to your skin. There are things that people living in these regions have learned about surviving the summer heat.

The first thing you want to keep in mind is dressing appropriately. You want to wear clothing made from materials like cotton. You do not want to wear many wool blends or synthetic blends during the summer months. Shorts, Capri pants, and flip flops seem to be a uniform for most of the southern residents. You see these items at the beach, in the bank, and in the grocery store on people from all ages and economic backgrounds.

Hydration is of major importance. You cannot feel cool and comfortable if your body is starving for water. Stay hydrated by taking frequent breaks and drinking plenty of fresh cool water. Bottled water will do in a pinch, but most southerners will prefer a nice cool drink of water from their wells.

Wear a hat to protect your head and neck from the sun. Wear plenty of sunscreen on any skin that is exposed to the sun. You will want to wear sunscreen on your lips. If you are not going to wear a hat then you may want to get one of the hair products that are designed to protect this part of your body from sun damage.

Find a shady spot to rest and work. Do not sit out in the direct sunlight if there is any type of shade nearby. The shade may not seem to be a lot cooler than the sunny area was, but trust me it is. At all times try to find a shady place to be.

Get up and do your necessary yard-work early in the morning before the temperatures get too hot. You can also go outside late in the evening when the temperature begins to drop. You will want to wear plenty of mosquitos repellant at these times of day. In the south the mosquitoes are worse at dawn and dusk.

Keep the electric lights off as much as possible. A light bulb adds additional heat to the room you are in. Keep as many lights as possible turned off. You also want to block as much of the sunlight that is filtering in through your windows as possible.

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South Korean policemen rescue a Chinese fisherman after two ships hit rocks in stormy seas off Jeju island, south of Seoul. Photograph: Newsis/Reuters

A powerful typhoon has struck South Korea, killing at least eight people, including five fishermen. Strong winds and heavy rain churned up rough seas and smashed two fishing ships on to rocks, forcing the coastguard to perform a daring rescue of the survivors.

Twelve fishermen were saved and rescuers were still searching for 10 missing from the Chinese ships, which hit rocks off South Korea's southern Jeju island.

At least three other people died as Typhoon Bolaven knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of South Koreans, cancelled flights and temporarily halted joint war games by US and South Korean military forces.

State media in North Korea, which is still struggling to rebuild from recent floods and a devastating drought, reported on Tuesday that the country was being lashed by heavy rain and strong winds.

Off Jeju island, dangerous waves prevented rescue boats from approaching the Chinese fishing ships. The coastguard used a special gun to shoot rope to one ship so officers could pull themselves over and bring the fishermen back to shore, coastguard spokesman Ko Chang-keon said.

Of the 18 fishermen who survived, six swam or were washed ashore.

South Korea issued a storm warning for the capital, Seoul, as Bolaven battered the country's south and west, knocking over street lights and church spires and ripping down shop signs. A large container box crushed the caretaker of an apartment building to death, a woman fell to her death from a rooftop and a third person died after bricks hit a house, according to disaster and fire officials.

Strong winds left Seoul's streets covered with leaves, branches and rubbish. More than 15,000 schools cancelled classes, and businesses and homes boarded up windows.

More than 330,000 households had lost power, the government said, and more than 70 people were left homeless because of floods or storm damage. Nearly 200 flights were cancelled.

In North Korea, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency reported gale-force winds and heavy rain in many parts of the country. Rainstorms often mean catastrophe in North Korea because of poor drainage, deforestation and decrepit infrastructure.

The country is still trying to help people with food, shelter, healthcare and clean water after heavy flooding in July, according to a recent United Nations report. More than 170 died nationwide, and tens of thousands of homes were destroyed in the floods, according to official North Korean accounts.

Many flood victims still lived in tents with limited access to water and other basic facilities, the UN report said, and there was concern about malnutrition. Seoul's unification ministry approved a trip on Wednesday by two South Korean aid groups to visit the North Korean city of Kaesong for talks on aid.

Weather officials had warned that Bolaven would be the strongest typhoon to hit the region in several years, but its winds turned out not to be as powerful as expected.

The typhoon hit the southern Japanese island of Okinawa on Monday, injuring four people but doing less damage than feared before moving out to sea. More than 75,000 households lost power.

Further south, another typhoon, Tembin, doubled back and hit Taiwan three days after drenching the same region before blowing out to sea. Fierce winds and rain toppled coconut trees in the beach resort town of Hengchun.

In Manila, the Philippine weather agency reissued typhoon warnings to residents and fishermen for Tembin, which blew out of the archipelago over the weekend. Fishing boats in the north were urged not to venture out to sea while larger ships were warned of possible big waves and heavy rains.

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