Pedestrians walk along a road in Yeouido, Seoul, Sunday, under a heat wave warning issued for the city. Yonhap
A heat wave emergency warning — the highest alert level — was issued for Gyeongsan and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province at 10 a.m. Sunday, marking the first activation of the alert since it was introduced under the revised advisory system last month.
The warning is issued when a region that has already had a perceived temperature of 35 degrees Celsius or higher for at least two consecutive days is expected to have a perceived temperature of 38 degrees or higher, or an actual temperature of 39 degrees or higher, for at least one more day.
Heat at that level carries a high risk of heat-related illness, so residents in the affected areas are advised to avoid outdoor activities, particularly between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. when temperatures peak, and to rest in a shaded area or shelter. Water or sports drinks are recommended over caffeinated beverages or alcohol.
Sunday marked the warning's first activation since it was introduced last month to alert the public of extreme heat, which the previous heat wave warning could not adequately convey.
