China has warned of the risk of power outages as millions of people try to cope with unprecedented heat that has gripped large parts of the country. Authorities have urged senior citizens to protect themselves from heatstroke, Reuters reports, BTA reports.
Energy officials said power supplies were strained by increased demand. Last week, electricity consumption exceeded 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours for the first time, the third consecutive record for the month in which the first national heatwave health alert was issued.
“High temperatures will negatively affect electricity production and supply,“ said Chen Hui, a spokesman for the meteorological service, at a press conference. He said this would affect both hydropower capacity and the efficiency of photovoltaic systems.
In response to the critical situation, authorities plan to send warnings to electricity suppliers if measures such as limiting peak consumption and inter-regional redistribution of electricity are imposed.
Jia Xiaolong, deputy director of the National Climate Center, stressed that the number of days with temperatures above 35°C since mid-March is the highest since records began. Authorities are advising the elderly not to go outside unless absolutely necessary, and those working outdoors to limit their activities on so-called "sauna days".
Record temperatures have been recorded in the provinces of Henan, Hubei, Shandong, Sichuan, Shanxi and Xinjiang. In the past two weeks alone, 152 national weather stations have recorded temperatures above 40°C, and in Xinjiang, thermometers have shown 48.7°C, one of the highest temperatures in the country's history. Jia warned that August could be even hotter than previous years.
The heatwave has also hit Japan, where records were recorded on the northern island of Hokkaido, usually known for its cooler climate. In the municipality of Bihoro, temperatures reached 38.2°C, the highest in the region since 1977. since, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Authorities have issued heatwave warnings across the country. "We are urging residents to be extra careful through our website and social media," said Kitami city official Ryo Nakachi. The city has opened special "cooling shelters" for people without access to air conditioning in their homes.
According to meteorologists, the causes of the heat include clear skies, hot air masses from China and dry winds blowing across mountain slopes. Last month, Japan recorded its hottest June on record, part of a global trend of extreme heatwaves exacerbated by climate change.
Japan's environment ministry on Monday issued a heatwave warning for much of the archipelago, including half of Hokkaido island. The highest temperature ever recorded there remains 39.5°C, measured in May 2019 in the town of Saroma.