China renews orange alert for high temperatures

BEIJING -- China's national observatory on Sunday renewed an orange alert, the second-highest alert level for high temperatures, as a scorching heatwave sweeps large swathes of the country.

During daylight hours on Sunday, temperatures in parts of north China, regions between the Yellow River and the Huaihe River, regions south of the Yangtze River, south China, Sichuan Basin, Hubei, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang are forecast to exceed 35 degrees Celsius, according to the National Meteorological Center.

In some areas of Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian and Inner Mongolia, temperatures may surpass 40 degrees Celsius.

People are advised to avoid outdoor activities during high-temperature periods, and workers should shorten their duration of exposure to high temperatures, according to the meteorological center.

Local governments have been asked to adopt appropriate measures to prevent fires triggered by electrical overloads.