South Korea's Busan sets 122-year temperature record

Southeastern South Korea experienced record-breaking temperatures on Wednesday, with the port city of Busan recording its highest temperature in 122 years.

Busan registered 38.8C (101.8F) at 2:56 p.m. local time (0556 GMT), surpassing its previous record of 37.3C (99.1F), set in 2016, and marking the highest temperature since weather records began in 1904, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the Korea Meteorological Administration.

In the southeastern city of Yangsan, temperatures climbed to 40.3C (104.5F) at 3:34 p.m. local time (0634 GMT), the highest reading since observations began there in 2008.

The Korea Meteorological Administration attributed the extreme heat to the combined influence of the North Pacific High and Tibetan High pressure systems and forecast that the heat wave would continue through the end of next week.

The agency also upgraded its heat wave advisory to a warning for parts of Seoul after the apparent temperature exceeded 35C (95F).

A heat wave warning is issued when the maximum apparent temperature is expected to remain above 35C for two or more consecutive days.

The warning marked Seoul's second heat wave alert of the summer.

In response, the city opened public facilities as cooling shelters, restricted outdoor work at municipal construction sites between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., and recommended that private construction sites adopt similar precautions.

Stabil.Az