South Korea Activates Level 2 Response After Record 42.5C Heatwave
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Aug 2
South Korea Activates Level 2 Response After Record 42.5C Heatwave
3 articles · Updated · The Independent · Aug 2
Summary
Yangsan hit 42.5C at 1:26 p.m. Sunday — South Korea’s highest temperature since records began in 1904 — prompting a severe heatwave warning and orders to halt outdoor activity.
Level 2 of the national disaster response headquarters was activated at 1 p.m., only the second such move since heatwaves were classified as natural disasters, with Seoul-area officials set to inspect local preparedness.
Five straight days above 40C in Yangsan reflect a broader heat emergency driven by North Pacific High and Tibetan High pressure systems that trapped heat over the peninsula.
1,781 people suffered heat-related illness and 13 died between July 15 and 31, while disruptions spread from residents sheltering in malls and cafes to a second straight baseball cancellation in Changwon.
Heatwaves have become more frequent in South Korea — averaging 19 days a year over the past five years versus eight in the 1970s — as neighboring Japan also faces temperatures nearing 40C.