Cities across China opened their air raid shelters on Friday to provide relief from the extreme heat as unusually high temperatures began to take a toll on residents’ health.
Northern China has been enduring a series of record-breaking high temperatures, exacerbated by a persistent drought.
Earlier this week, Beijing reported more than nine consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 35°C (95°F), a streak not seen since 1961, according to the National Climate Center.
Cities such as Hangzhou on the east coast, Wuhan in central China, and Shijiazhuang in Hebei province near Beijing have recently opened their air raid shelters to offer refuge from the heat. Authorities have issued health alerts and, in Beijing and other areas, have suspended outdoor work.
So far, two deaths in Beijing have been attributed to the extreme heat. Health officials reported that a tour guide collapsed and died from heat stroke on Sunday while giving a tour at the Summer Palace, an extensive 18th-century imperial garden.
Last month, a woman in Beijing also died from heat stroke. Authorities in Shaoxing, a city adjacent to Hangzhou, confirmed heat-related deaths but did not provide further details.
Cities like Chongqing, known for its sweltering summers, have long utilized their air raid tunnels as cooling centers.
These shelters, originally constructed during the Japanese invasion beginning in 1937 and later expanded during the Cold War era in the late 1950s due to fears of a nuclear attack, are now often equipped with seating areas and provide access to water, refreshments, heat stroke medications, and sometimes amenities such as Wi-Fi, television, and table tennis equipment.
Weather authorities issued warnings on Thursday about severe drought in northern China, which threatens crops and strains already overburdened electrical grids. Meanwhile, southern China has been dealing with heavy flooding that has displaced thousands in recent weeks.
On Thursday, Earth’s average temperature set a new unofficial record high, marking the third such milestone in a week that is already considered the hottest on record.
