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Seven die as heatwave torments China
( 2002-07-17 13:49 ) (7 )

A heatwave that has swept through much of China since last week has claimed at least seven lives as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degress Fahrenheit), press reports said Wednesday.

Five people died Monday in the southwestern city of Chongqing, traditionally one of China's hottest cities, the Chongqing Economic Daily reported.

Circumstances surrounding the fatalities were unclear. But one man was reported to have died after leaving a swimming pool, the paper said.

More than 3,500 people have been hospitalized in the city because of the heat which reached 41 degrees celsius on Monday, the paper said.

In neighbouring Hunan province a 19-year old woman died of dehydration on Sunday after getting off a train, the Hongwang news website reported.

The highest temperature so far recorded in the heatwave was in the central city of Shijiazhuang also on Monday, when the mercury hit 43 degrees celsius.

Over the week, the death of a 50-year farmer in the northern city of Xi'an was also attributed to the hot weather, press reports said.

Wednesday's weather report forecast cooler weather in the next few days, with highs in Beijing expected to hover around 35 to 37 degrees celsius.

Such heatwaves are not uncommon in the Chinese capital, and could be a major worry for athletes at the 2008 Olympics, due to take place around late July or early August - traditionally the city's hottest period.

The intense heat has been made worse in recent years as more and more motor vehicles idle on the increasingly crowded roads, raising street temperatures while filling the air with choking pollution.