Record heat in China; red alert in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China

The record heat serves as a major threat to several rice-growing regions.

Chinese cities have been sweltering in record heat, so much so that it has become a major threat for several rice-growing regions. People are seen cooling off in a steam in Jiuxi amidst a red alert for a heatwave in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Extreme heat has been baking cities in China, and they are under red alert. The Chinese cities are going through a heatwave on the eastern Chinese seaboard, resulting in increasing demand for power to cool homes and offices, while the scorching temperatures in the interiors of China stoked fears of damage to rice crops in many rice-growing regions in the country.

China sees extreme heat temperatures.

Hangzhou, a megacity in China that houses 12.5 million people and some of the largest companies in China, had to ban all non-essential outdoor lighting and light shows this week to conserve energy. Extreme heat temperatures were recorded, testing power grids, as reported by the local authorities.

Hangzhou recorded extreme heat of over 40 Degrees Celsius.

Hangzhou also houses prominent entrepreneurs and tech giants like Alibaba and NetEase. The megacity sweltered under extreme heart temperatures exceeding 40 Degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) this week as eastern and southern China bear high temperatures.

Heatwave in Shanghai.

Shanghai, too, had to face the brunt of the stubborn heatwave. On August 2, the maximum load or demand on its power grid reportedly exceeded 40 million kilowatts for the first time. The heat waves boosted electricity consumption in the city, which has nearly 25 million people.

Knowing that the maximum load of Hangzhou’s grids reached new highs, the officials said they would implement a “practical” plan for ensuring the normal operation of functional lighting in public spaces and safeguarding the safety of night-time travel. Chinese meteorologists say the record heat in 2024 is a result of global warming despite the La Nina weather phenomenon’s cooling effects.