As record-breaking heatwaves reaching around 40°C continue in South Korea, extreme scorching weather is also sweeping through China and Japan, leading to a series of casualties and growing concerns over agricultural damage.

In China, heatwaves are persisting mainly in the northern and eastern agricultural breadbaskets, raising concerns over disruptions in the production of major crops such as corn, rice, and cotton.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, meteorological authorities have warned that high temperatures of 35°C to 38°C in major corn-producing regions such as Shandong and Liaoning provinces could negatively impact crop growth.

Shandong Province, which accounts for about 10% of China's corn production, forecasted that high temperatures and humidity would increase the risks of reduced yields and pest infestations. Liaoning Province also expressed concern that soil moisture is rapidly depleting as corn and rice enter critical growth stages.

In the northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which is responsible for the majority of China's cotton production, temperatures in some areas are forecast to soar up to 50°C.

The local climate center warned that prolonged high temperatures could delay the growth of cotton and corn while causing premature ripening.

Locals expect that heatwaves and droughts could reduce cotton production by up to about 5%.

Responses to prepare for the prolonged heatwave are also getting underway.

On August 1, the Chinese delivery platform Meituan distributed so-called "air-conditioned vests," equipped with circulating cooling fans and auxiliary batteries to lower body temperatures, to delivery workers in Chongqing.

Meituan stated that it plans to sequentially supply these vests to all delivery workers in the Chongqing area, while also distributing cooling supplies in major cities across the country and providing heatwave allowances.

Damage from record-breaking heatwaves is also piling up in Japan.

So far this year up until the previous day, there have been a total of 9 "extreme heat days" with maximum temperatures reaching 40°C or higher, matching the record for the entire previous year.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, average temperatures in the middle and late parts of last month were 2.9°C and 2.5°C higher than normal years, respectively, marking the highest since record-keeping began in 1946.

In Tokyo alone, 11 people died from suspected heat-related illnesses, and three lions raised in a zoo died after showing symptoms of dehydration and other issues.

The zoo suspended the exhibition of lions, believing that the heatwave likely affected their growth.

Heatwaves are particularly severe in western Japan, including the Kyushu region.

On August 3, extreme heat exceeding 40°C was observed in seven regions, with Kurume City in Fukuoka Prefecture recording 40.4°C and Kumamoto City recording 40.3°C.

The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that historic heat swept through the country that day, with 58 regions in western Japan breaking or tying their all-time record high temperatures.

The heatwave is further compounding difficulties in recovery work and the evacuation life of victims in the Kumamoto region, where a strong magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred late last month.

Meanwhile, eastern Japan, including Kanto, experienced relatively cool weather as cold air flowed in under the influence of the Okhotsk high-pressure system.

Some Southeast Asian countries are being affected by a particularly strong El Niño phenomenon.

The India Meteorological Department has warned that rainfall this year could hit a low not seen in about a decade, which could also impact crop yields and potentially cause global food prices to spike.

India is the world's largest rice exporter and the second-largest sugar producer.

Although India's monsoon rainy season has begun, some regions are receiving only about 25% of normal rainfall, and parts of central regions are seeing rainfall stall at just 50% of usual levels.

In Indonesia, where the recent El Niño phenomenon coincided with the dry season, more than 5,000 wildfires have occurred from January to July this year.

This is a faster rate of increase compared to past El Niño years in 2015, 2019, and 2023.

The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics projected that the risk of wildfires will be highest in August and September, and expects the El Niño phenomenon to peak in December of this year and January of next year.

(Photo: Yonhap News)