South Korea issued emergency heat wave instructions as the country sweltered, with its highest temperature on record reported in the southeastern city of Yangsan.

“Each ministry shall use all available channels, including public broadcasters, emergency text messages, electronic information boards and village broadcasts, to swiftly inform the public about heat wave conditions,” Prime Minister Han Seongsook said in a statement posted Sunday on a government Facebook page.

The Korea Meteorological Administration issued a severe heat wave alert for southern parts of the country as of 1 pm local time. The temperature in the city of Yangsan surged to 42.5 degrees Celsius, the highest recorded since observations began in 1904, Yonhap reported.

Separately, the Interior Ministry plans to dispatch director general-level officials to oversee operations in the Seoul metropolitan area, South Gyeongsang province and other southern regions, to assess local heat wave responses and identify areas requiring additional support, Yonhap reported.