Authorities issue warning about Hainan heat wave

Nine cities and counties in Hainan province have issued orange alerts for high temperatures, with the highest one expected to be above 37 degrees Celsius on Thursday.

Haikou, the capital, saw its first hot day of the year with the real-time temperatures reaching 35.7 C on Wednesday afternoon. The temperature in Chengmai county, close to Haikou, reached 40 C on Wednesday. Chengmai's meteorological monitoring station has become the first national station to observe 40 C this year.

The high temperatures are expected to continue until Friday.

The Haikou Meteorological Bureau issued guidance on Wednesday reminding relevant departments and units to implement measures to prevent heat stroke. People should avoid outdoor activities in hot weather, and people who must work should shorten their continuous working time, it said.

While Hainan has experienced scorching heat, other areas in the country, such as Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Heilongjiang province are experiencing drastic cooling. The temperature difference between the country's north and south is about 50 C.