As temperatures are predicted to rise beyond 40 degrees Celsius in most areas of the Chinese capital, Beijing on Thursday issued the strongest red alert for heat.
According to the Xinhua news agency, this is the second red alert for high temperatures that the capital has issued this summer.
He Na, the head forecaster for the municipality’s meteorological observatory, said that the temperature at Nanjiao meteorological station in southern Beijing climbed to 40.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
Between June and July 5, the station recorded 18 days with temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius or higher and four days with temperatures of 40 degrees or higher, both of which are records for the same time period since the station’s founding in 1951.
Forecasts indicate that the city will continue to fry in the hot sun on Thursday and Friday.
When stepping outside, citizens were encouraged by the meteorological service to limit their outdoor activities and take the appropriate precautions to avoid heatstroke and sunburn.
China has endured five heatwaves since June, with daily maximum temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius or more. Numerous locations in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area have smashed previous records.
