Heat wave scorches North Korea

Seoul, July 9 (IANS) A heat wave is scorching North Korea, with daytime high temperatures in the capital expected to reach up to 34 degrees Celsius, state media reported Wednesday.

The morning low in Pyongyang was 25 degrees Celsius in the day, about 4 degree Celsius higher than the average, and the day's high is forecast to reach 34 degrees Celsius, the Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported.

In South Korea, it is called a tropical night when the temperature does not fall below 25 degrees Celsius between 6:01 pm to 9 am the following morning.

The broadcasting network forecast the day's highs may reach 35 degrees Celsius in Kaesong near the inter-Korean border, 34 degrees Celsius in the central city of Pyongsong and 33 degrees Celsius in the northwestern city of Sinuiju.

The average relative humidity may also reach 70 per cent in the day, bringing sweltering weather, it said.

As the heat wave grips North Korea, the country is advising people to avoid outdoor activities and stay in the shade when outside.

"The organ hit hardest in the summer season is the hearth," the North's most widely read newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said in its Wednesday edition, introducing certain herbs and berries as useful ingredients for strengthening the heart and reducing fatigue in summer.

Chronic energy shortages typically make it difficult for the general public in North Korea to use air conditioners, except in public institutions, public spaces or the homes of the elite class, Yonhap news agency reported.

Amid limited access to energy, some people with deep pockets reportedly import solar panels from China to operate high-power fans on their own, while the use of air conditioners is considered a rarity in ordinary homes.

Further, the government has also recommended related agencies to suspend public construction activities when there is a heat wave, the finance ministry said Wednesday, one day after the country posted record-high temperatures in Seoul.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance has distributed such a guideline to prevent heat-related safety accidents at public institutions, according to ministry officials.

The ministry said any additional costs caused by such a suspension of work should be compensated through an extension of the contract period and an increase in the contract amount.

On Tuesday, the temperature in Seoul soared to 37.7 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature ever recorded for early July in the capital since record-keeping began in 1908, according to the state weather agency.

--IANS

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