Southeastern South Korea records highest temperature in 122 years

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

Busan recorded 38.8C (101.8F) at 2.56 pm (0556GMT), surpassing its previous record of 37.3C (99.1F), set in 2016, and marking the highest temperature since records began in 1904, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the Korea Meteorological Administration.

In the southeastern city of Yangsan, the temperature climbed to 40.3C (104.5F) at 3.34 pm (0634GMT), the highest since observations began there in 2008.

The agency 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 weather administration 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.

It marked Seoul’s second heat wave warning this summer.

The city opened public facilities as cooling shelters and restricted outdoor work at municipal construction sites between 2 pm and 5 pm, while recommending that private construction sites take similar measures.