BEIJING – Employers in Beijing were ordered by the government on Thursday to halt outdoor work after the scorching summer heat in the Chinese capital was expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
After the city of 22 million declared a “red alert,” the highest level of an extreme temperature warning system, government agencies were ordered to make sure the elderly and sick stay cool.
The government reported Monday that Beijing recorded temperatures above 35°C (95°F) for 10 days, the longest streak of this kind since 1961.
“Responsible departments and units must take immediate measures to prevent heat exhaustion and cooling,” says a statement from the city government. Employers have been told to “stop outdoor operations”.
At the same time, flooding forced thousands of people to flee their homes in southern China.
The government on Wednesday issued a warning of possible flash floods in Inner Mongolia in the north, Heilongjiang in the northeast, and Tibet and Sichuan in the southwest.
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