South Korea: Heat wave alert reissued for Seoul, central region

Seoul, Aug 15 (IANS) A heat wave advisory was issued again for Seoul and most of the central region Friday, with high temperatures expected to continue for the time being.

The heat wave alert took effect at 11 am in Seoul, the central city of Daejeon and surrounding areas, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

For Seoul, the alert was reissued nine days after the KMA lifted the advisory, Yonhap News Agency reported.

A heat wave advisory is issued when the maximum apparent temperature is expected to remain above 33 C for two or more days, while a heat wave warning is issued when the maximum sensible temperature is likely to stay above 35 C.

With the latest advisory for the central region, 161 of 183 weather alert areas nationwide are either under a heat wave advisory or warning.

The heat wave warning has been issued for the southwestern South Jeolla Province and the southeastern Gyeongsang provinces, as well as the coastal areas of the southern resort island of Jeju.

The recent heat wave is caused by two high-pressure systems, which brought hot and humid air to the Korean Peninsula and trapped it here, according to the KMA.

On Friday, daytime highs are expected to range between 30 C and 35 C across the nation.

Earlier on August 2, health authorities said that 19 people have died from heat-related illnesses in South Korea so far this year as the country endured severe heat waves.

South Korea's average daily maximum power demand hit a record high last month as the country endured one of the most severe summer heat waves on record, according to data. The country's peak power demand in July averaged 85 gigawatts, up 5.6 per cent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Power Exchange.

The reading marked the highest level for any July since 1993, when the government began compiling relevant data. The monthly high was recorded in August 2024, when the figure came to 87.8 GW. The record in July was driven by increased electricity consumption for air conditioning, as the heat wave persisted throughout the month.

--IANS

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