Authorities in Japan and South Korea have urged people to take precautions to prevent heatstroke, as the region reels from record-breaking temperatures and pressure on hospitals.

On Thursday, South Korea’s meteorological office said the country had experienced a record-breaking streak of “tropical nights” for 22 consecutive days this month.

A day earlier, Japan saw its hottest day on record, with the mercury reaching 41.2C, as hospitals across the country were inundated with people who had fallen ill as a result of the heatwave.