Hong Kong Swelters On Hottest "Great Heat" Day Ever

Hong Kong has continued to swelter with the Observatory's Very Hot Weather Warning remaining in force for the ninth consecutive day, with the department recording 34.9 degrees on Saturday afternoon.

Temperatures pushed above 35 degrees in many areas on Saturday, the date in the traditional Chinese calendar associated with the "Great Heat" solar term.

Observatory records show that it was the hottest "Great Heat" day Hong Kong has seen, with officials advising people to avoid physical outdoor activities as much as possible.

Many opted to cool off at the beach, and some of those enjoying the weekend at Lung Mei Beach in Tai Po told RTHK that even getting into the sea wasn't enough to cool down.

"The temperature here is 39.2 degree Celsius. It feels like I'm melting or getting burnt. It's still bearable on the beach. I brought cans of coke, ice bags and a tent here, or I would have fainted under the sun. I'll go buy a watermelon later," said a woman.

Meanwhile, a few brave souls were seen exercising in places such as Victoria Park.

"It's much hotter this year, the temperature is often higher than 30 degrees. [But still] one must work out," said a man there.

Dr Lam Wing-wo who practises in family medicine called on people to take a break under the shade every 30 minutes after working outdoors.

He said recently some people went to the doctor thinking they had caught the coronavirus because they had a low-grade fever and headache. In fact these were mild or preliminary symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, he said.