As the heat advisory for northwestern Seoul was upgraded to a heat warning on the 2nd, a heat warning was in effect across all of Seoul. With a tropical night advisory continuing for the ninth day, the Seoul city government strengthened protection for vulnerable groups such as residents of cubicle rooms and people experiencing homelessness, road watering, and operation of cooling centers.
The Korea Meteorological Administration upgraded the heat advisory for northwestern Seoul to a heat warning at 11 a.m. that day. The southeastern, southwestern, and northeastern zones have been under a heat warning since on the 29th of last month, and with this move, every zone in Seoul is now under a heat warning.
All of Seoul has also been under a tropical night advisory since on the 24th of last month, and it has remained in place for nine days as of that day. A heat advisory is issued when the daily maximum heat index is expected to exceed 33 degrees for two or more consecutive days. A tropical night advisory is issued when the nighttime minimum temperature is expected to exceed 26 degrees for at least one day.
The Seoul city government is maintaining the heat response crisis alert at level 2, "alert," and is operating the comprehensive heat support situation room expanded to eight teams. It is focusing its response on protecting vulnerable groups such as people experiencing homelessness and residents of cubicle room areas, operating cooling centers, and managing the safety of outdoor workers.
The city checked in by phone on older adults in need of care, and for 863 people requiring additional verification, such as those unreachable by phone, staff visited in person to check their health status. It provided emergency sleeping arrangements to 287 people experiencing street homelessness to avoid tropical nights and expanded counseling and patrols. It also strengthened in-person and phone monitoring for residents of cubicle rooms, people with disabilities, and those with chronic illnesses.
A total of 4,094 places, including local community centers, senior centers, and welfare centers, are being operated as cooling centers. Also in operation are 414 climate companion shelters set up at convenience stores and banks, 62 emergency shelters at public facilities, and 30 shelters for mobile workers. Heat mitigation facilities such as shade canopies have been installed at 5,249 locations.
To reduce urban heat, the city activated 187 cooling fog installations that spray mist and 14 cooling roads that lower pavement temperatures. It is deploying water-spraying trucks on major roads to carry out watering operations.
At about 10:20 a.m. that day, the Seoul city government sent an emergency alert text message across the city asking people to refrain from outdoor activities and to drink plenty of water.
Choi Jin-seok, head of the Seoul Disaster and Safety Office, said, "As the heat wave persists and the risk of greater harm to residents from heat-related illnesses grows, we will operate our response system to ensure that heat countermeasures work seamlessly in the field, with the life and safety of residents as the top priority."