Kathmandu— At least 16 people have died in South Korea due to a record-breaking heat wave, prompting President Lee Jae Myung to urge officials to accelerate measures to protect citizens. The interior ministry reported that between May 15 and August 2, a total of 2,025 individuals suffered from heat-related illnesses.

Heat Wave Claims Lives

The national weather agency recorded the highest temperature in 122 years on Sunday at Yangsan, where temperatures reached 42.5 degrees Celsius (108.5 degrees Fahrenheit). This extreme heat has led to the first-ever heatwave warning for parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi, which was later extended to cover the entire capital city.

Residents in Seoul were advised to stay indoors and drink plenty of water as temperatures hit 38 degrees Celsius at midday and are expected to remain high overnight. The city has designated about 4,000 public facilities as cooling centers for those seeking relief from the heat.

Climate Change Impact

Scientists have warned that extreme weather events like heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. In Japan, cities have experienced 'cruelly hot days' this summer, a new meteorological term for days with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Tama Zoo in Tokyo announced the deaths of three lions suspected to be from heatstroke.

Europe has also faced sweltering summers, with Germany's heat-related death toll for 2026 surpassing every full-year total since 2016 and expected to rise further as another spell of extreme temperatures approaches.

President Lee emphasized the need for a fundamental overhaul of South Korea’s national crisis system in response to increasingly normal extreme weather conditions.

(With inputs from DW)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.