Kim Yong-gyun, director general of natural disasters at the Ministry of Interior and Safety, Gyeongsan Mayor Jo Hyeon-il and others conduct a heat wave inspection at Gyeongsan City Hall on Sunday. [Gyeongsan City]
Kim Yong-gyun, director general of natural disasters at the Ministry of Interior and Safety, Gyeongsan Mayor Jo Hyeon-il and others conduct a heat wave inspection at Gyeongsan City Hall on Sunday. [Gyeongsan City]

North Gyeongsang Province issued its first-ever top-tier "serious heat alert" for Pohang and Gyeongsan on Sunday morning, as the Korea Meteorological Administration declared heat wave warnings for 12 cities and counties in the province — including Gyeongju, Gimcheon and Andong — and heat wave advisories for eight others, including Yeongju and Mungyeong.

The serious heat alert is the highest level of heat warning in South Korea, newly established this year — 18 years after the country's heat warning system was first introduced in 2008.

The alert is issued when the daily maximum apparent temperature in a heat wave warning area is expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius or above, or when the daily high is forecast to hit 39 degrees or above for at least one consecutive day.

In response, North Gyeongsang Province raised its heat crisis level from Alert to Serious and expanded its disaster and safety response headquarters to emergency Level 1.

Pohang and Gyeongsan, where the serious heat alert took effect, immediately escalated their disaster and safety response headquarters from emergency Level 1 to Level 2.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety dispatched emergency situation managers to both cities to provide on-site support.

An emergency inspection meeting chaired by the ministry's director general of natural disasters was held at Gyeongsan City Hall on Sunday morning, followed shortly by an emergency countermeasures meeting convened by the North Gyeongsang vice governor for deputy heads of cities and counties across the province.

At the meetings, the province urged local governments to step up public awareness campaigns through safety text alerts, village broadcasts and electronic signboards to ensure residents take the heat threat seriously.

Officials particularly stressed that cities and counties should immediately instruct residents to halt outdoor work and farm labor in outdoor or high-temperature indoor environments — except for emergency measures required for disaster and safety management — whenever a serious heat alert is in effect. They also called for strict oversight of extended and additional operating hours at public cooling centers.

"As the highest-level serious heat alert has been issued for the first time in history, we will mobilize every available administrative resource to prevent casualties," North Gyeongsang Vice Governor Hwang Myeong-seok said. "We ask residents to refrain from outdoor activities during midday and to strictly follow heat wave safety guidelines."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com