Extreme heat melts and warps asphalt, creating road risks

Deformed asphalt is appearing across Seoul as extreme summer heat causes roads to warp, sink and crack, increasing the risk of accidents. On July 31, when the mercury hit 34.6 degrees Celsius and a heat warning was in place, four ridges rose up in the middle of the central bus lane on Sinbanpo-ro in Seocho District, Seoul. Each ridge was about 50 centimeters wide and stretched roughly 10 meters. Responding to a public complaint, workers from the city’s Southern Road Office spent an hour grinding down the raised surface under the blazing sun. “In this sweltering heat, it’s common for roads that were fine yesterday to suddenly warp overnight,” said Jeong Byung-hee, head of the road repair team. “Even if we repave the road, the asphalt can deform again in the heat. We'll carry out full repairs after summer, but in the meantime, we perform daily emergency fixes.” According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Monday, last month’s nationwide heat waves lasted an average of 14.5 days — up 10.2 days from the same period last year, when it averaged 4.3 days. A heat warninWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times