East Asia is experiencing scorching weather, with Japan logging a new high of 41.2 degrees Celsius while South Korea marked a record streak of 22 hot “tropical nights” with temperatures exceeding 25 degrees.
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The alarming figures have raised fears of a devastating heatwave just around the corner for the region, especially with August typically being the hottest month of the year.
Officials in Seoul on Thursday said the lowest daily temperature during the ongoing streak had only dipped to 29.3 degrees, with a 23rd such night expected into Friday.
A so-called tropical night in the country is an official weather term denoting temperatures above 25 degrees from 6.01pm to 9am the next day.
According to The Korea Herald, the highest-ever temperature on the Korean peninsula occurred on August 1, 2018, when the rural county of Hongcheon-gun in Gangwon province recorded 41 degrees. Seoul also saw a record 39.6 degrees on the same day.
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Heat-related deaths in South Korea totalled 13 so far this year – triple the figure during the same period last year, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.