Shanghai’s authorities have issued their top-level heatwave warning for the second occasion this week, with projections suggesting some areas in the Pudong district could see temperatures going above 40 degrees. The bustling city, home to nearly 25 million residents and a significant centre for business and maritime trade in China, previously issued its initial red heat alert for the year on Thursday when the heart of the city saw the mercury rise to 40 degrees, as reported by the local meteorological department.
The Shanghai Pudong New Area Weather Bureau made a public statement on Saturday at precisely 12:06 pm, issuing the most recent extreme weather alert for specific areas of the Pudong district. This comes on the back of Planet Earth consecutively breaking its own record for the hottest day in history.
In the years gone by, Shanghai has seen its temperature rise as high as 40.9 degrees, a record first set in 1873 and then equalled two years back as per the meteorological department.
The city authorities are appealing to businesses and the general public to implement safety measures such as fire prevention. Furthermore, as part of their endeavours to guarantee uninterrupted power supply during this period of high demand for air-conditioning, the municipal government has directed that the city’s landscape lighting be turned off an hour earlier than usual.
Portions of eastern, central and western China have experienced severe weather patterns this summer, attributed to climate change. In recent weeks, various regions around the nation have faced torrential rainfall, leading to dozens of fatalities and displacing thousands, causing infrastructural damage, and putting industrial and agricultural activities at risk. In response, the national government has ramped up its disaster relief operations.
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