South Korea sizzles as temperatures soar to 40 deg C for the first time since 2019
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Heatwave warnings have been in effect daily since the Korea Meteorological Administration announced the end of the monsoon season on July 27.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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SEOUL – South Korea sweltered through its first 40 deg C temperature in six years on Aug 4, amid a relentless heatwave that has gripped the country since the end of July following the monsoon season.
Current weather conditions on the Korean peninsula are strikingly similar to those of the record-breaking summer of 2018, sparking concerns that 2024 could become one of the hottest on record.
The severe heatwave has already resulted in approximately 540 cases of heat-related illnesses
In the city of Yeoju, Gyeonggi province, the mercury hit 40 deg C at 3.33pm on Aug 4, marking the first time temperatures have surpassed this threshold since August 2018, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on Aug 4.
South Korea has now recorded temperatures exceeding 40 deg C on eight occasions, including most recently. The first such extreme temperature was documented on Aug 1, 1942, with no similar occurrences until a notable resurgence in August 2019.
The current heatwave, fuelled by the convergence of Tibetan and North Pacific high-pressure systems, mirrors the severe conditions of the 2018 summer. This intense heat is expected to persist until at least Aug 14, with high temperatures and humidity continuing to impact the nation.
Amid the ongoing heatwave, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported a sharp increase in heat-related illnesses, with 154 new cases recorded on Aug 3 alone. From July 29 to Aug 2, a total of 386 cases were reported across 507 emergency rooms nationwide.
Since the heat illness surveillance system began on May 20, there have been 1,546 reported cases and 11 deaths suspected to be heat-related as at Aug 3. Notably, five of these fatalities occurred on Aug 2 and 3, highlighting a recent surge in mortality.
On Aug 3, an 87-year-old woman in Gwangju was found unconscious while farming and suffering from heatstroke. On the same day, a woman over 50 was found unconscious while farming and suffering from a heatstroke in Changwon. They were both rushed to nearby hospitals but pronounced dead later that day.
Following the consistent surge in patients with heat-related illnesses and temperatures being above 35 deg C, the Interior Ministry has maintained its heatwave response level on “serious”, the highest within its four-tier system, since July 31.
South Korea has also seen damage to livestock due to the extreme heat.
From June 11 to Aug 1, nearly 257,483 livestock animals, including around 20,000 pigs and 230,000 poultry animals, died due to heat, according to data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Heatwave warnings have been in effect daily since the KMA announced the end of the monsoon season on July 27.
A heatwave warning at the “alert” level was issued nationwide as of 3pm on Aug 4, with apparent daytime temperatures reaching as high as 36 deg C.
In South Korea, heatwave warnings at the “alert” level are activated when the highest apparent temperature is forecast to exceed 35 deg C for two consecutive days or more.
Some cities, including Andong in North Gyeongsang province, Gongju in South Chungcheong province and Anseong in Gyeonggi province, reported real-feel temperatures as hot as 37 to 38 deg C.
Due to Aug 4’s extreme temperatures, the Korea Baseball Organisation (KBO) announced that it would be cancelling two of its baseball games scheduled to take place in Seoul and Ulsan at 5pm on the same day.
This is the second and third time that a professional baseball game has been cancelled since the KBO League enacted heatwave regulations in 2015.
Tropical night phenomena are also expected to continue – this refers to a phenomenon where the lowest temperature remains above 25 deg C between 6.01pm the night before and 9am the next day. The country has experienced a high number of tropical nights, with July seeing the highest number of such phenomena on record, according to the KMA.
As of Aug 4, Seoul has seen up to 14 consecutive tropical nights since July 21, while Gangneung in Gangwon province has seen 16 consecutive tropical nights since July 19 and Jeju Island 19 of such nights since July 16.
The state weather agency anticipates more tropical nights to be observed for the next few days, due to the expected persistent heatwaves. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
