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South Korea declares heatwave a national disaster after 19 deaths
Officials were told to step up support for victims and inspect power systems as air conditioning demand surges amid record temperatures.
South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung urged authorities to increase support for people affected by a record heatwave, calling it a national disaster after scorching conditions were blamed for 19 deaths, according to SCMP Economy.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Lee ordered officials to take steps to protect daily life and to inspect the country’s power systems as air conditioning demand rises, warning that abnormal weather makes more extreme conditions likely to persist.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said Yangsan, a southeastern inland city in a basin, reached 42.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the highest temperature measured in 122 years of weather observations.
It also issued its first-ever heatwave warning for parts of Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi on Monday, extending the alert to all of the capital on Tuesday, advising residents to suspend outdoor activities such as farming, sports, and construction work.