Hong Kong is bracing for nine consecutive days of intense heat in June, tying the record set in the same month in 2016 and resulting in an increase in the number of elderly people calling for help.
The weather forecaster said the blistering heat would continue on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures expected to rise to 35 degrees Celsius or higher in parts of the city.
The Hong Kong Observatory urged vulnerable groups, including elderly residents, to take precautions and reduce heatstroke risks.
Observatory acting assistant director Cheng Yuen-chung said the city had already recorded seven sweltering days in a row and issued “very hot weather” warnings between last Thursday and Wednesday this week when the mercury reached 33 degrees or higher.
The maximum temperature of 34 degrees recorded last Friday also matched the record for the hottest summer solstice in 1980, he said.
“Under the influence of the subtropical ridge, hot weather will continue today and tomorrow in southern China, including Hong Kong, with chances of extremely hot weather with temperatures of 35 degrees or above,” Cheng said.
He said summer temperatures in the city would keep rising with global warming and that the average temperature this year was expected to be among the top 10 highest in city records.
Senior Citizen Home Safety Association CEO Maura Wong Hung-hung said seniors were among the most vulnerable groups affected by the hot weather, as they were more susceptible to heatstroke.
Prolonged heat could also have a delayed effect on seniors suffering chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and heart diseases, she added.
The association, which operates a 24-hour emergency hotline for the elderly, said it received more than 1,800 calls a day last week between June 17 and 21, up by about 15 per cent from the average daily of more than 1,560 the previous week.
The number of cases involving seniors sent to hospital also rose more than 20 per cent over the same period, with symptoms including dizziness and body pains, Wong said.
“Very hot weather can cause heat exhaustion and heatstroke. It can also lead to dizziness, headache, dehydration and even decline in cognitive function, or making people feel irritable, causing insomnia, affecting their mental state, or leading to cardiovascular diseases,” she said.
Wong called on the elderly to stay alert to the prolonged heat, advising them to drink more water, wear hats, avoid prolonged exposed to hot weather outdoors and maintain good ventilation at home.
Temperatures are expected to range between 28 degrees and 35 degrees on Thursday, and between 29 degrees and 34 degrees on Friday. Maximum temperatures in the New Territories are expected to reach 35 degrees or above.
