Hellish scene during scorching heatwave on the Korean peninsula

INCREDIBLE images have surfaced of people trying to escape the heat in a public swimming pool — it is enough to make you feel claustrophobic.

HUNDREDS of people packed into the Caribbean Bay swimming pool yesterday trying to escape the heat in Yongin, South Korea and the images are startling.

The Korean peninsula has been gripped by a scorching heatwave in recent weeks, with dozens of deaths in the South blamed on soaring temperatures that have hit all-time highs.

South Korean Meteorological Administration issued a heatwave warning for Seoul and other cities.

There is no room to move. Picture: AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon

Caribbean Bay is one of Korea’s largest water parks. Picture: AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon

South Korea has grappled with a heatwave in recent weeks as temperatures hit a record high of 40.3C on Wednesday in Hongcheon, a town in the northeastern province of Gangwon.

According to authorities, more than 28 people have died due to the heat and 2266 have suffered heat-related conditions.

People crowd in the Caribbean Bay swimming pool trying to escape the heat in Yongin, South Korea. Picture: Ahn Young-joon/AP

The temperature in North Korea’s capital Pyongyang climbed to a record high of 37.8C on Wednesday, with state TV warning that it was “taking a toll on the economy”.

It did not elaborate on the scale of the damage.

But the rising temperatures have already inflicted heavy losses on the richer South, which has reported more than three million deaths of livestock and a fivefold increase in deaths from heat-related illnesses, while vegetable prices have doubled due to supplies being affected.

Meanwhile, mediterranean countries have issued severe weather warnings as a heatwave pushed temperatures above 40C in Europe.

Hot air from Africa is bringing the heatwave to Europe, prompting health warnings about Sahara Desert dust and exceptionally high temperatures that are forecast to peak at 48 degrees Celsius in some southern areas.