Record temperatures as Shanghai sizzles

By Dong Hui and Cai Wenjun  |   2008-7-7  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

Work is in overdrive at this ice-making factory in Shanghai's Minhang District. The demand for ice has been soaring in the current hot spell with maximum temperature hitting 38.8 degrees Celsius for the last two days. More in photo gallery

---

THE city sizzled yesterday as the maximum temperature in Shanghai hit 38.8 degrees Celsius for the second day. And Shanghai Meteorological Bureau said there would be at least another three days this week where the temperature will be above 35 degrees.

Parched citizens cannot even hope for a thunderstorm to ease the heat - sunshine is the order of the week and no rain is in store for the city.

The high temperatures have lasted for six days. On Saturday the mercury hit 38.8 degrees making it the hottest July 5 for 135 years, ever since the city started keeping meteorological records.

Yesterday the temperature soared again. At 9:13am the Shanghai Central Meteorological Station issued an orange heat alert, indicating that the maximum temperature would be above 37 degrees. By 10:48am it had already reached 37 degrees in Xujiahui. The temperature there hit 38.8 degrees after noon.

Power demand in the city dropped to nearly 18.7 million kilowatts yesterday from Saturday's 19.5 million - mainly because some of the office buildings that open on Saturday were closed.

But today will see another peak demand probably hitting 20 million kilowatts.

"The city's electricity grid is fully loaded. All the backup power generation systems are in use," power authority official Wang Changxing said.

If there are power shortages the city might have to introduce blackouts, Wang said.

With the soaring temperatures, lhospitals have seen an increase in the number of patients, many of them suffering heat-related problems.

Several hospitals reported a 15 to 20 percent increase in patient admissions. Those admitted were mainly children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases.

Punan Hospital said it had seen 2,000 patients a day since late last week, 300 more than normal.

"Many were suffering from colds and fevers and were given saline drips," said Yin Zhifa, a hospital official.