• Residents of China’s southern regions are coping with a historic heat wave that has seen temperatures surpass 40C in novel ways (104F).
• In an effort to escape the heat, people in Chongqing and the neighboring Sichuan province are going into cave restaurants and underground bunkers.
• The severe drought in China has been made worse by the extended heatwave.

Residents of China’s southern regions are coping with a historic heat wave that has seen temperatures surpass 40C in novel ways (104F).

In an effort to escape the heat, people in Chongqing and the neighboring Sichuan province are going into cave restaurants and underground bunkers.

According to some analysts, the heatwave’s severity could make it one of the worst ever recorded throughout human history.

The severe drought in China has been made worse by the extended heatwave.

Photos and videos posted on social media depict unsettling scenes of passengers in Chongqing sitting in dark train cars and strolling down darkened streets after several train stations in the provinces turned down their typically bright lights to save electricity.

Due to record heatwave and low water level of Yangtze River, much of Sichuan and Chongqing in SW China which depend on hydropower has cut electricity.

What Chongqing subway looks like now pic.twitter.com/2gkxGq3ECX

— Carl Zha (@CarlZha) August 23, 2022

Authorities in Chongqing reportedly ordered industrial enterprises to limit output until at least Thursday, while Sichuan government offices were reportedly directed to maintain air conditioning levels at no lower than 26C.

Large ice blocks were reportedly employed by some businesses to help cool down their offices in its place.

And what if you ordered food but the elevators don’t work and you live on the 25th floor? Just use a rope to get the food upstairs. This video is from Guang’an in Sichuan. pic.twitter.com/15K6l5vu6Z

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) August 23, 2022

Diners outside the workplace also went underground to avoid the heat.

Due to the milder temperatures underground, “cave hotpot” restaurants are frequently visited during the summer but have already established themselves as staples.

According to the state news agency China Daily, one cave hotpot restaurant had a temperature of 16C while the outside temperature was a blistering 42C.

In the scorching hot #summer, #Chongqing people will take an adventure having #hotpot 30-m #underground #cave restaurant transformed from an old bomb shelter.

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Nice and cool, no need for air conditioning.
A warm reminder: No cellphone signals down there! pic.twitter.com/9wfXHR3BXk

— China Up Close (@China_Up_Close) July 14, 2022

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