Beijing on Friday upgraded its warning for hot weather to "red". It is the highest in a colour-coded alert system. The warning said the capital could roast in temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). On Thursday, the maximum temperature in the city of nearly 22 million people breached 41C and shattered the record for the hottest day in June, a Reuters report read.
The National Meteorological Centre said, during the day, temperatures in parts of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Fujian and Hainan are expected to hit 35 to 37 degrees celsius.
Beijing's temperature rose above 40 degrees celsius for the first time since May 2014. The meteorological centre warned outdoor activities to be avoided during the afternoon and said workers exposed to high temperatures must adopt protective measures. Many countries in Asia including Pakistan and India have experienced deadly heatwaves and record temperatures in recent months thanks to a rise in global temperatures caused largely by the burning of fossil fuels.
“Baking heat will persist in Beijing for the next two days, with temperatures perhaps reaching 38C to 39C,” the weather service said, the Guardian reported.
Reportedly, according to The National Meteorological Centre, nationwide, 17 weather stations “recorded record high-temperature extremes” on Thursday. The western Xiqing district logged a temperature of a searing 40.6C.
