Japan and South Korea are currently grappling with a record-breaking heatwave during the summer season.

Record-breaking heatwave sweeps across Japan and South Korea this summer - Record-breaking heat engulfs Japan and South Korea during the summer season

Record-Breaking Summer Heatwave Hits Japan and South Korea

The summer of 2021 has been marked by record-breaking temperatures in Japan and South Korea, according to meteorological agencies and scientists. This trend, they say, is a clear sign of global warming.

In Japan, the summer of 2021 is the third consecutive summer with record temperatures. The Japanese Meteorological Agency recorded the highest summer temperature on August 16, 2020, when the temperature reached 41.1°C in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture. This year, the heat has been relentless, causing problems not only for human health but also for animal and plant life.

Businesswoman Miyu Fujita in Tokyo has moved her appointments to cool indoor spaces to avoid the oppressive heat. In South Korea, the city of Gangneung has declared a state of emergency due to a severe drought, and the city has restricted water use as a result. The water level in the Obong Dam, Gangneung's main water source, has fallen below 15 percent after weeks without rain.

The average temperature in South Korea during the summer of 2021 is 25.7 degrees Celsius, the highest value since the start of data collection in 1973. The previous record for the same period was 25.6 degrees Celsius, set in the summer of 2020. In Japan, the disaster management agency reported that 84,521 people were treated in hospitals due to heat between May and the end of August in 2021, compared to 83,414 people in the same period last year.

Masao Nakano, an 80-year-old marathon runner from Tokyo, shares his memories of training outdoors in the past with the AFP news agency. He recalls the times when he could go outside, spray the streets with water, and feel the cool air. However, this year, Nakano trained indoors mainly in preparation for the marathon.

Scientists attribute the record heat in Japan and South Korea to the "weakening of Arctic cold air due to global warming," according to meteorologist Kim Hae Dong from Keimyung University. They expect next year to be similarly hot in the region, as there is no sign of the trend of record temperatures reversing.

The high temperatures are not only a concern for human health, but also for animal and plant life. UN reports highlight the problems posed by the heatwave, including the impact on agriculture and wildlife. In Japan, the famous cherry blossoms are blooming either earlier or not at all due to the warmer climate. Last year, Mount Fuji was snow-free for the longest period ever.

As the world continues to grapple with the effects of global warming, the record-breaking summer heatwave in Japan and South Korea serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action to combat climate change.