North China bakes under searing heatwave

Beijing: An extreme heat warning was in place in Beijing on Tuesday as temperatures soared across northern China, after a swathe of the northern hemis...

Beijing: An extreme heat warning was in place in Beijing on Tuesday as temperatures soared across northern China, after a swathe of the northern hemisphere baked under record highs.

China is the biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say are driving climate change and longer, hotter heatwaves.

Authorities in Beijing issued an orange alert for extreme heat on Tuesday, the second-highest level in a four-tier system, warning that the mercury could climb as high as 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of the capital.

The municipal government urged residents to reduce time spent outdoors, drink plenty of water and monitor children, pregnant women and the elderly for signs of heatstroke.

High temperatures of up to 42C are forecast to persist across northern, northwestern and central areas, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shaanxi, Hubei, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, until Friday, according to the national weather office.