Record-breaking heat continued to batter Japan and the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday, claiming lives, straining healthcare systems and affecting both people and animals as authorities stepped up emergency measures.
South Korea, North Korea and Japan have all issued heat-related warnings as temperatures climbed to unusually high levels across the region.
In South Korea, a nationwide heat wave advisory remained in effect, with temperatures reaching as high as 39 degrees Celsius in the greater Seoul area, home to about 20 million people.
According to South Korea's Interior and Safety Ministry, around 2,220 people have suffered heat-related illnesses since mid-May, while 19 have died. The extreme weather has also killed more than 17,000 livestock and about 160,000 farmed fish.
The southeastern city of Yangsan recorded 42.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the highest temperature since weather records began in the country in 1904.
President Lee Jae Myung described the prolonged heat wave as "a national disaster" and directed officials to take all necessary measures to protect lives.
The heat also disrupted sporting events. Two spectators in their 20s collapsed during and after a professional baseball game in Incheon on Tuesday, prompting emergency treatment. The Korea Baseball Organization later cancelled all games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday due to the extreme weather.
In North Korea, authorities issued heat wave alerts across several regions and urged residents to take precautions against heat-related illnesses.
State media also carried health advice from a senior doctor at Pyongyang General Hospital, who recommended protein-rich foods, including dog meat and fish porridge, along with watermelons, cucumbers, tomatoes and mung beans to help cope with the heat.
Meanwhile, Japan's Environment Ministry issued heatstroke alerts across much of the country's western and southern regions.
The country's disaster management agency said more than 18,000 people were taken to hospitals with heatstroke symptoms during the week of July 20-26.
The intense heat has compounded challenges in Kumamoto, where recovery efforts continue following a deadly earthquake last month. Authorities said a woman in her 70s died from heatstroke while sheltering inside a car after the quake.
The heat has also affected wildlife. Tokyo's Tama Zoological Park said three female lions died after suffering severe dehydration and multiple organ failure believed to have been caused by prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures. Several other animals at the zoo also showed signs of heat-related illness.