East Asia is baking in ‘cruelly hot’ summer

Key Points:

• A severe heat wave is affecting East Asia, with South Korea experiencing its highest temperature in 122 years at 42.5°C (108°F), causing 19 deaths and prompting President Lee Jae Myung to declare it a national disaster.
• The Korea Meteorological Administration issued its first-ever “severe” heat wave warning for all of Seoul, urging residents to stay indoors and protect vulnerable populations as temperatures spread northward.
• In Japan, extreme heat is complicating recovery efforts following a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in Kumamoto, with over 40,000 households still without water and a heatstroke death reported among displaced residents sheltering in cars.
• Kumamoto officials are calling for increased government support to improve conditions at evacuation centers, many lacking air conditioning and clean water, while the government pledges continuous water supply and swift restoration of services.
• Heat-related deaths have also occurred among animals, with three lions dying at Tama Zoological Park near Tokyo due to suspected heat stress, highlighting the broader impact of the extreme temperatures.