Intense heat waves continue in Japan, South Korea

The scorching heat wave in Japan shows no signs of abating with the mercury in Kyushu nearing 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

Wide areas of western and eastern Japan are expected to experience temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius during the day, triggering heatstroke alerts in 37 prefectures.

With the heat persisting through the night, daytime temperatures on Sunday were forecast to reach dangerously high levels, with Kurume in Fukuoka expecting a maximum of 39 degrees Celsius and Saga and Kumamoto predicting highs of 38.

Tokyo is set to experience 35 degrees Celsius, marking its first extreme heat day in four days, while Nagoya is bracing for its 11th consecutive day of temperatures at 37.

As of 11 a.m. local time on Sunday, the heat stress index, or Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), reached the red level in most parts of the country, representing the highest level of heatstroke risk on the country's five-tier system, official data showed.

The WBGT, which measures heatstroke risk, takes into account temperature, humidity, and sunlight intensity as one of the empirical indices representing the heat stress to which an individual is exposed.

Authorities have advised residents to stay indoors in cool environments and plan summer activities that minimize exposure to the heat.

Residents are urged to take heatstroke precautions seriously and adjust their plans accordingly to ensure their safety during the severe heat wave.

Meanwhile, South Korea is experiencing record heat as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the first time since 2018, according to meteorological services.

The hot weather will remain throughout the country for the next 10 days, meteorological officials said.

There were only ever eight times when temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius in South Korea, with the first time in August 1942 and the other six in 2008.

The country has been gripped by relentless heat waves since the end of July, following the monsoon season.

The severe heat has resulted in a sharp increase in heat-related illnesses, with 154 new cases recorded on Saturday alone, said the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Across the nation, 386 cases were reported from Monday through Friday, said the agency.

Extreme heat waves have also been threatening the country's livestock as over 250,000 animals have died amid hot weather, said the country's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

(With input from Xinhua)