Seoul issues first ‘severe heatwave warning’ under new system
New national heat records were set on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the mercury soaring up to 42.5C.
Seoul's weather agency issued a severe heatwave warning on Monday, marking the first such advisory since the designation was introduced this year. The extreme temperatures were attributed to soaring mercury levels that reached up to 42.5C on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, causing nearly 300 hospitalizations. Despite not breaking the weekend's all-time record, Monday saw the apparent temperature in some districts hit 35C, with forecasts predicting temperatures up to 38C as early as 11:00 am on Tuesday.
Authorities advised that outdoor activities and work should be halted or postponed, with individuals encouraged to seek cool locations like air-conditioned indoor spaces or designated heat relief shelters. Seoul's residents, despite the cooler early hours, navigated through shaded areas to reach their destinations on Monday. The introduction of the severe heatwave warning category in South Korea this year aligns with similar measures adopted by other countries, reflecting the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
