"It Feels Like Breathing Is Blocked": Yangsan Brought to a Standstill by 40.3°C Heatwave

"Even the breeze is hot, so staying in the shade is useless. I feel like jumping into the water myself."

On the 29th, at the water playground in Hwangsang Park, Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, daytime temperatures soared past 40°C.

A woman in her 40s made the remark while watching her child play in the water.

With temperatures exceeding 37°C even as 5:00 PM approached, the area was packed with citizens looking to enjoy water play until just before closing time.

In the suffocating weather, the venue was nothing short of an oasis.

Looking at the children splashing around and sliding down with delight, it was hard to notice the heat.

On the other hand, adults wearing hats and masks barely managed to escape the intense heat under shade awnings.

Lee Mo (19), a safety guard at the water playground, said, "It has been quite hot since this morning, and with the temperature rising this high, it feels like your breath is blocked. It seems more citizens are flocking here because of the hot weather."

Cho Mo (49), who said she came from Changwon, remarked, "My child is on vacation, so we came to beat the intense heat. I didn't know temperatures had exceeded 40°C while playing in the water, but coming out, the wind is so hot."

On this day, when daytime temperatures surged to 40°C, streets across Yangsan-si were virtually deserted, with hardly any people in sight.

Construction sites and road maintenance areas also halted work and took breaks.

Indoors, shops ran their air conditioners at full blast to barely escape the heat.

Kim Mo (63), whom we met at a hair salon, said, "In all my sixty years, I have never experienced heat like this. In this weather, even valleys or the sea would have warm water, so I'd rather just go home and rest with the air conditioner on."

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the temperature in Yangsan-si reached 40.3°C at 3:34 PM on this day, breaking the record for the highest temperature since meteorological observations began in Yangsan on December 26, 2008.

At 1:53 PM and 2:39 PM, temperatures recorded 39.9°C respectively, before finally hitting 40°C at 3:26 PM and climbing further to 40.3°C.

Yangsan-si has been operating its disaster and safety countermeasures headquarters and responding with all-out efforts since the 25th, when the daytime high reached 39.1°C.

The city is responding multi-dimensionally by checking on vulnerable groups affected by the heatwave, strengthening heat shelters, and providing guidance to prevent damage to agricultural and livestock products.

In particular, while 5 water spray trucks (3 public, 2 private) were originally planned to operate, 3 private trucks have been added amid the continuous issuance of severe heatwave warnings, bringing the current operational total to 8.

As the peak temperature exceeded 40°C on this day, the city plans to secure 3 additional private water spray trucks starting from the 31st to increase operations to a total of 11.

A city official stated, "As this is an emergency situation where citizens' health and lives are threatened by a heatwave lasting longer than expected and pushing temperatures higher, we will deploy all administrative power and resources to actively respond so that no damage occurs."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.