Not less than 16 individuals have died from heat-related diseases in South Korea this 12 months, in line with well being authorities.
South Korea has shattered a 117-year file for the variety of sweltering nights in July amid a scorching heatwave.
Temperatures in Seoul didn’t dip beneath 29.3 levels Celsius (84.7 levels Fahrenheit) in a single day, marking the twenty second “tropical evening” to date this month, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) mentioned on Thursday.
The KMA defines a tropical evening as occurring when temperatures keep above 25 levels Celsius (77 levels Fahrenheit) from 6:01pm to 9am the next day.
The variety of tropical nights in July is the best since information started in 1908.
The earlier file for July was 21 tropical nights, set in 1994.
South Korea has been grappling with blistering warmth over the previous week, with every day temperatures surpassing 40 levels Celsius (104 levels Fahrenheit) in some components of the nation.
Not less than 16 individuals have died from heat-related diseases to date this 12 months, in line with the Korea Illness Management and Prevention Company (KDCA).
The milestone continues a latest development of scorching temperatures throughout Asia, as scientists warn that human-driven local weather change is growing the frequency of maximum climate.
On Wednesday, Japan mentioned it skilled its hottest day in recorded historical past after the mercury hit 41.2 levels Celsius (106.16 levels Fahrenheit) in Tamba metropolis, Hyogo prefecture.
Earlier this month, Japan and South Korea each reported that June this 12 months was the most well liked on file, whereas China’s Nationwide Local weather Centre mentioned the nation had skilled a file variety of days with temperatures of 35 levels Celsius (95 levels Fahrenheit) or above since mid-March.
In India, the Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Authority final month issued a pink alert for New Delhi after the warmth index – which appears at temperature and humidity to measure perceived temperature – hit 51.9 levels Celsius (125.4 levels Fahrenheit).
In April, Myanmar’s climate company mentioned the nation skilled the most well liked day ever recorded for the month when the mercury hit 48.2 levels Celsius (118.8 levels Fahrenheit) within the central city of Chauk.
Whereas local weather change is a priority worldwide, Asia has been notably vulnerable to excessive temperatures, in line with scientists.
In its newest local weather report launched final month, the World Meteorological Group mentioned Asia was warming practically twice as quick as the worldwide common.
The common temperature of Asia’s landmass final 12 months was about 1.04 levels Celsius (33.87 levels Fahrenheit) above the 1991-2020 development, in line with the WMO, making 2024 both the warmest or second warmest 12 months on file, relying on the dataset used.