Extreme weather triggers heatwave in China and floods in Korea

Extreme weather has impacted other parts of the world; Hawaii braces for upcoming storm, wildfires in Greece, China scorched with 80-degree heat while casualties mount in Korea after relentless rains; leaders sound alarm.

Original story by CNA

Tourists flocked to a giant thermometer in China showing surface temperatures of 80 degrees Celsius (176 Fahrenheit) while the death toll from torrential rains in South Korea hit 44 on Wednesday (Jul 19), the latest extreme weather sparking havoc and curiosity around the world.

In a stifling Beijing, US climate envoy John Kerry began the third day of talks with Chinese officials, expressing hope that cooperation to combat global warming could redefine troubled ties between the two superpowers.

A global pattern of heat waves that have scorched parts of Europe, Asia and the United States this week have thrown that challenge into sharp relief. The World Meteorological Organization warned on Tuesday of increased risk of deaths linked to excessively high temperatures.

In South Korea, deluges of rain have pummelled central and southern regions since last week. Fourteen deaths occurred in an underpass in the central city of Cheongju, where more than a dozen vehicles were swamped on Saturday when a river levee collapsed. In the southeastern province of North Gyeongsang, 22 people died, many from landslides and swirling torrents.

This year’s casualties have rekindled questions over South Korea’s efforts to prevent and respond to flood damage, less than one year after the heaviest downpours in 115 years pounded Seoul.

President Yoon Suk Yeol has said the situation was made worse because of lax management of vulnerable areas and failures to follow rules, and designated 13 flood-hit areas as special disaster zones on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo called for faster repair efforts to head off additional damage, warning of more heavy rainfalls predicted in the weekend.

“Taking extreme weather events caused by climate change as part of our daily lives, we will create institutional measures and systems accordingly,” Han told an intra-agency meeting on flood responses.
This story was syndicated by CNA from Reuters. To read the full story and learn more insights about how the extreme weather event affected the two countries further and how leaders have sounded the alarm, visit: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/record-heat-wave-china-flood-south-korea-deaths-3639061

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