Chinese cities open air raid shelters for heat relief as extreme temperatures lead to deaths

Cities across China have opened their air raid shelters to offer residents relief from the heat as unusually high temperatures across parts of the country started claiming lives. Cities including Hangzhou on China’s east coast, Wuhan in the center of the country, and Shijiazhuang in Hebei province neighboring Beijing announced Friday they were opening their air raid shelters to residents seeking to escape the heat. Northern China is experiencing strings of days with record-high temperatures, compounded by drought. Earlier this week, Beijing reported more than nine straight days with temperatures exceeding 95 F, according to the National Climate Center. Authorities have issued health alerts and, in the capital and elsewhere, suspended work outdoors.