This article first appeared on ntv.de
To give people in China shelter from the ongoing heat wave, several cities across the country have opened their air raid shelters. Cities like Hangzhou, Wuhan and Shijiazhuang enabled the population to escape the sometimes unbearable temperatures, reports the US news agency Associated Press (AP).
Northern China in particular is suffering from record-breaking heat. As the AP reports, citing data from the National Climate Center, temperatures in Beijing have been measured above 35 degrees Celsius for more than nine consecutive days – a record since 1961. Temperatures of more than 40 degrees are expected in some parts of the capital and other provinces. Outdoor work has been banned in many places and health warnings have been issued. There have already been two heat-related deaths in Beijing.
It is not the first time that air raid shelters have been used for heat protection. Chonqqing, a southern metropolis notorious for its hot summers, has been using the air-raid tunnels as public cooling centers for years. According to the report, many cities have bomb shelters, construction of which dates back to the Japanese invasion of 1937 and resumed in the 1950s due to deteriorating relations with the Soviet Union.
The accommodations, which were once poorly furnished, are now often more generously equipped. In addition to seating and the supply of drinks and medication for heat stroke, there are also luxury items such as televisions and table tennis tables. According to the AP, some bunkers even had Wi-Fi.
For years, China has been trying to improve heat safety in the country. Urban planning measures and programs to raise awareness among the population are part of the fight against the increasing heat waves in the country, according to the AP. However, the complexity of climate change requires continuous efforts to adapt to the effects of heat waves.
