Hong Kong has broken a temperature record dating back more than 140 years after the city experienced its hottest day on record, with temperatures reaching 36.9°C at the Observatory headquarters.
While the Observatory serves as the city’s main reference point, some areas recorded even higher temperatures. Sheung Shui in the New Territories reached an extraordinary 39.8°C.
According to China Daily, the extreme heat was caused by sinking air linked to Tropical Cyclone Dolphin, pushing temperatures to their highest level since the 1980s.
The new record highlights the severity of the ongoing heatwave, with authorities advising residents to take precautions and avoid prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures.
The latest heatwave broke the previous record of 36.6°C, recorded in August 2017 during Typhoon Hato.
The extreme weather has also raised fresh concerns about the growing intensity of heat events in the region.
Forecasters warned that the intense heat is likely to continue for the next few days before changing weather conditions bring some relief.
Meteorological authorities are continuing to monitor temperatures as hot and humid conditions persist across Hong Kong.
The world is facing growing climate challenges and increasing uncertainty. Several countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East have experienced record-breaking heatwaves and extremely high temperatures ranging from 40°C to 55°C this year.
