SEOUL (Kashmir English): South Korea recorded its highest temperature of 42.5C since records began more than a century ago on Sunday.
The authorities have warned people to immediately stop all outdoor activities in affected areas.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the southeastern city of Yangsan saw the temperature reach 42.5C at 1:26 pm (0426 GMT).
The city has been the epicentre of the ongoing heatwave, where temperatures surpassed 40C for a fifth consecutive day on Sunday.
South Korea heatwave
Many other cities including Daegu and Busan are seeing temperatures rise to the high 30s.
According to media reports, people flocked to air-conditioned shopping malls and cafes to escape the blistering temperatures.
Ju Dong-yeol, 27, took refuge from the heat in a Starbucks in Seoul along with his parents and told AFP “it is too hot to be outside doing anything”.
“I can’t think of anything else to do other than stay in air-conditioned places like home, shopping malls and cafes,” the office worker said.
Issuing a heat warning on Sunday, the weather agency urged people to “immediately stop all outdoor activities”, further warning that “indoor spaces without air conditioning are dangerous”.
“Move immediately to a cool place, such as a designated cooling centre or a shaded area, and stay hydrated while resting,” it advised.
