Heat wave, flooding leave over a dozen dead in China

A heatwave is sweeping through China. The authorities issued the highest red alert warnings in 84 cities across the nation, urging citizens to stay cool. A red alert means temperatures are expected to reach over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the coming 24 hours, a CNN report reads.

The red alert also meant that construction and other outdoor work is to be halted. Since record-keeping began in 1873, Shanghai has experienced temperatures above 40 deg C only for 15 days. Authorities, citing climate change, have also warned against disasters from mid-July-- the hottest and wettest time of the year. 

Extreme heat led to the roof of a cafe in Chongqing province to collapse. And in Jiangxi province, part of a road arched up six inches due to intense heat. Nanjing, notorious for its searing summers, opened its underground air-raid shelters to residents since Sunday. The city issued a red alert on Tuesday, a Reuters report reads. Last month at least a million people in southern parts of China were affected by floods and landslides due to incessant rains.