Extreme heat in Shanghai prompts 1st red alert in 5 years
As temperatures increase, so does the risk of dying from heat exhaustion and heatstrokes. Here’s how you can stay safe in the sun.
Residents of Shanghai, the biggest city in China and located along the central coast of the nation, endured a dangerous heat wave that sent temperatures soaring past the century mark this week. The sweltering heat prompted an alert that hasn't been issued for five years in the city — and forced many to take extreme measures in order to stay safe.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, a different disaster unfolded as flooding rainfall killed several people and left many others missing in eastern China.
Persistent heat of this nature can typically arrive across the eastern provinces of China by late July and even August; however, key business ports such as Shanghai have already observed numerous days of 100-F-plus heat in the last week. Residents have struggled to keep safe amid the intense temperatures and have resorted to taking shelter within the raid shelters underground, according to a report from Reuters.
Temperatures swelled to 105 F (40.8 C) on Monday in the city of Liyang, located roughly 120 miles (193 km) west of Shanghai in the Jiangsu province. On Tuesday, record-setting temperatures spiked across the Zhejiang province. The mercury climbed to a staggering 106 F (41.2 C) in areas just south of Shanghai in the city of Lishui. For both locations, temperatures of this magnitude are roughly 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (8.3-11.1 degrees Celsius) above average for this time of year.
Many residents in the Jiangsu, Fujian, Henan, Sichuan and Heilongjiang provinces were hospitalized due to heat-related illnesses, although the total number of fatalities has not been released at this time.
A man wearing face mask reacts on a street amid a heatwave warning, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China, July 13, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song
On Tuesday afternoon, the Chinese Meteorological Administration placed 86 cities under red alerts, the highest level of a three-tier warning system. A red alert is issued when the temperature is expected to reach upwards of 104 F (40 C) in the following 24 hours. For Shanghai, this was the first red alert issued for the city in the last five years.
Adding to the dangers, air quality levels in Shanghai have soared to poor values as temperatures have climbed, particularly in areas to the north of the city. Stagnant air across the region has increased the levels of air pollutants and particulate matter.
According to Reuters, extreme heat on Monday in Chongqing, located along the Yangtze River in southwest-central China, prompted the closure of a museum after sections of the roof tiles melted.
Roadways in southeastern China in the Jiangxi province reportedly began to buckle from the heat this week. According to Reuters, a section of road lifted 6 inches (15 cm) from its base.
Following the days of relentless heat, AccuWeather meteorologists say that temperatures this weekend will remain above-average but will not be as hot as recent days.
A woman wearing a face mask holds an umbrella on a street amid a heatwave warning, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China July 13, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song
In addition to the blast of heat, dangerous flooding also struck the provinces of Sichuan and Heilongjiang this week. A local news report from northeastern China stated that excessive rainfall in the Dongfeng Village of Wudalianchi City resulted in one death and eight missing people. Three people were reportedly killed in the Pingwu County of the Sichuan province, and five remain missing after flooding impacted the region.
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