Millions of people in China are bracing for even hotter weather this weekend, as more than a dozen cities have issued red alerts – the biggest heat alert possible.
According to the China Meteorological Administration, temperatures in 19 cities in the eastern provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius in the next 24 hours.
Another 208 cities and counties in China are under orange alert, the second-highest heat alert indicating temperatures above 35C.
This notice covers parts of southern and eastern China, including Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi and some of Anhui and Henan provinces.
The heat wave coincides with the “Great Heat” on Saturday, traditionally the hottest day of the year according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
China has been experiencing persistent high temperatures since June, with an average temperature of 22.1C, the highest since 1961, according to the China National Climate Center.
In recent weeks, at least 71 national weather stations across China have recorded record temperatures. Three cities in central Hebei province and one in southwestern Yunnan province saw temperatures reach 44ºC.
China’s Central Meteorological Observatory has advised people to avoid outdoor activities, shorten working hours and take heatstroke protection measures during hot periods.
Mortality related to heat waves in China has increased dramatically since 1990, reaching 26,800 deaths in 2019, according to a Lancet study published in 2020.
Earlier this year, the Chinese government released a new policy document to improve its response to climate change, which it said not only created long-term challenges but also made the country more vulnerable to “sudden and extreme” events such as waves of heat, drought and floods.
“Climate change has already had serious adverse impacts on China’s natural ecological system and has continued to spread and penetrate the economy and society,” the government said in its national climate change adaptation strategy.
He pledged to make China a “climate resilient society” by 2035, building a national system to monitor and assess climate risks and increasing early warning capabilities.
CNN’s Nectar Gan contributed this story.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
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