The South Korean leader has ordered an escalation of measures to address the heatwave after facing one of the most severe heat crises in history. Temperatures surged to 42.5 degrees Celsius, the highest in 122 years, with at least 16 deaths reported.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said during a cabinet meeting that relevant agencies must expedite assistance to those affected by the heatwave. He also ordered a nationwide review of the electrical system due to the continuous rise in air conditioner usage.
The leader also warned that extreme weather is occurring more frequently and may become the norm in the future. Therefore, a major overhaul of the country's disaster management system is necessary to cope with the intensifying impacts of climate change.
The Korea Meteorological Administration revealed that Yangsan city, located in the southeast of the country, recorded a temperature of 42.5 degrees Celsius last Sunday. This is the highest temperature since weather records began 122 years ago.
Additionally, authorities issued a heatwave warning for certain areas of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province for the first time on Monday, then expanded the warning to cover all of Seoul on Tuesday, as temperatures remained dangerously high and were expected to continue rising.
Experts view this event as reflecting the effects of climate change, which causes heatwaves to occur more frequently and intensely, impacting public health as well as energy consumption and public utilities in many countries worldwide.
/source:channelnewsasia
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