S. Korea issues first grave heat wave warnings for Gyeongsan, Pohang

SEOUL, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 12th Jul, 2026) South Korea on Sunday issued its first "grave heat wave" warnings for the southeastern cities of Gyeongsan and Pohang under a new highest-level alert system introduced last month to warn of extreme heat, Yonhap news agency reported.

The high-level warnings took effect in the two cities at 10:00 a.m., officials said, after temperatures soared to 39.9 C in Gyeongsan and 37.2 C in Pohang the previous day.

Temperatures were again expected to reach 39 degrees C in both cities Sunday.

The grave heat wave warnings issued in Gyeongsan and Pohang marked the first since the government adopted the new heat warning system June 1 to alert the public to extreme heat.

Under the new alert system, a grave heat wave warning is issued when the daily high is forecast to reach 39 C in areas where the apparent temperature has reached 35 C or higher for at least two consecutive days.

Under a grave heat wave warning, people are advised to avoid outdoor activities, stay in the shade and drink plenty of water.