Reliving the Scorching Summer of 1994? Endless Heatwave

[Anchor]

Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province are suffering from extreme heat approaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) day after day. There are even forecasts that this summer's heat will be similar to the summer of 1994, which is considered one of the worst on record.

Reporter Kim Su-yun visited Daegu.

[Reporter]

Dongseongro, the largest bustling commercial district in Daegu.

The temperature of the sidewalk where citizens walk and pass by is nearing a staggering 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).

People try to block the sun with parasols and take out portable fans, but it is not enough to escape the heat, which feels more scorching than just hot.

[Lee Young-ho and Jang Ga-rin / Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province: I am sweating a lot and feel a bit dizzy. It is the notorious Daegu, or Daefrica. It is hot just as the name suggests.]

We measured the temperature of a bench used by citizens in the middle of Dongseongro.

As you can see, a temperature reaching 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded.

Merchants who must work in traditional markets are having a hard time.

They pour in more ice than usual to maintain the freshness of fish for sale, but worries come first.

[Kim Kyung-hee / Seomun Market Merchant: Ice goes in double compared to the winter. While we use two blocks in winter, we use five to seven blocks in summer, using a lot more this way.]

Quite a few shops have completely closed their doors, unable to endure the heatwave.

[Bae Sung-jin / Seomun Market Merchant: Business is completely dead. We cover up the stalls like this and only people who seek us out make purchases. (Only regulars?) That is right. We cannot make a living. It is just too hot.]

Water is constantly sprayed onto the heated roads to cool down the heat, but it is only temporary, and there are no foolproof measures against this kind of extreme heat.

[Yang Se-won / Buk-gu, Daegu: It seems to have gotten much worse than before. It completely takes my breath away... It feels even hotter, unlike the heat Daegu used to be known for.]

Based on 5:00 PM, daytime temperatures approached 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit), with Dalseong-gun in Daegu hitting 36.7 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit) and Goryeong-gun in North Gyeongsang Province hitting 36.4 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit).

Gyeongju recorded its highest daytime temperature of the year at 39.1 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Daegu Regional Meteorological Administration forecasted that temperatures in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province will remain similar to now or rise slightly until early next month.

Experts have even raised observations that this year's heat will resemble the summer of 1994, considered the worst on record, as there are still quite a few areas in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province showing temperatures above 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit).

Surviving this summer in the Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province region is expected to be harder than any other year.

(Video by Jeong Kyeong-mun | Video editing by Lee Hong-myeong | Design by Lee Jong-jeong)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.