YANGSAN — South Korea recorded its highest temperature in 122 years of weather observations as extreme heat swept across East Asia, triggering mass animal deaths and disrupting public events. The city of Yangsan in southeastern South Korea reached 42.5 degrees Celsius (108.5 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday, a record high since records began in 1904.

The intense heat has caused casualties among both humans and animals in the region. Since mid-May, approximately 2,220 people in South Korea have been diagnosed with heat-related illnesses and 19 have died. In the agricultural sector, approximately 17,140 livestock, including chickens, ducks, and pigs, have died due to the heat wave. Additionally, approximately 160,000 farmed fishes have died in South Korea as water temperatures rose.

The impact of the heat extended to Tokyo, where three lions died at Tama Zoological Park due to suspected heat-related health problems. Mugi, a 3-year-old female lion at the park, died on July 28 after developing loss of appetite and inability to stand. Two other female lions, Ichigo, 11, and Luena, 15, died at Tama Zoological Park within a few days of Mugi's death. Autopsies of the three lions showed dehydration and multiple organ failure.

In South Korea, the heat disrupted professional sports as well. A spectator in his 20s collapsed while watching a baseball game between SSG Landers and LG Twins at a stadium in Incheon on Tuesday night. Emergency personnel administered CPR to the collapsed spectator and transported him to a hospital, halting the game for about 10 minutes.

Another fan in his 20s fell unconscious and received treatment at the stadium after the game in Incheon. In response to the conditions, the Korea Baseball Organization announced that all 10 games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday were canceled and would be rescheduled.

Government officials have escalated their response to the crisis. President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials to view the ongoing heat wave as "a national disaster" and make all-out efforts to protect lives. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook ordered ministries and local governments to mobilize all available resources to respond to heatwave and drought risks. The South Korean government raised its heatwave response alert to the second-highest level.

Meteorological data indicates the severity of the current conditions. More than 20 localities in South Korea were under emergency heatwave alerts on Sunday. Temperatures in Yangsan exceeded 40 degrees Celsius for five consecutive days ending on Sunday.

South Korea introduced an emergency heatwave alert category this year, which is issued when forecasts predict a perceived temperature of at least 38 degrees Celsius or an actual temperature of 39 degrees Celsius or higher for a single day. The Korea Meteorological Administration defines a heatwave day as one in which the maximum temperature reaches at least 33 degrees Celsius.

Historical data shows a trend toward more frequent extreme heat events. The average annual number of heatwave days in South Korea has more than doubled over the past five years to 19, compared with an average of eight days in the 1970s.