China renews orange alert for high temperatures

BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory renewed an orange alert for high temperatures on Thursday as heatwaves swept vast regions of the country.

During daylight hours on Thursday, temperatures in parts of Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou are expected to hit 37 to 39 degrees Celsius, the National Meteorological Center said.

The forecast said temperatures in some of these regions would exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

Searing heat waves started blanketing parts of China on June 13, affecting over 900 million people, according to the National Climate Center.

A total of 71 national weather stations have monitored temperatures at record highs this year, and the highest temperatures in some regions reached 44 degrees Celsius.

From July 27 to August 11, most areas in China will see higher temperatures than in the same period in past years, said the climate center.

The meteorological center advised avoiding outdoor activities during high-temperature periods and suggested that workers exposed to high temperatures shorten continuous working hours.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.