In pictures: Sydney skyline, US pole vaulter Matt Ludwig, Barbary lions
Smoke from the Gifford Fire fills the sky as the sun sets over Los Padres National Forest in California, US. Photo:...
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South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Why is humid heat so hard to beat? Here's the science behind hot, wet weather
Extreme heat makes it especially hard for your body to cool down, so you need to be extra careful if you exercise or play sports when temperatures are high. Your brain tries to keep your body within a degree or two of 37 degrees Celsius, and it does so in part by producing sweat (see graphic). Sweat cannot do its job when your body is creating a lot of heat or it is too hot and humid to cool down. This can cause you to be dehydrated or even get a heat-related illness such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke. According to Bharat Venkat, an associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the director of the UCLA Heat Lab, heat can affect the entire body, including our hearts and lungs. The higher the temperature, the harder it is for the body to stay cool. Humidity, the amount of water vapour in the air, plays a big role too. High humidity makes it feel hotter than the actual temperature because it makes sweating less effective. There is so much water in the air already that the air cannot take up the water in your sweat. If you want to exercise in the heat, here are some tips to stay safe, according to the United States' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Time your exercise and outdoor activities for the coolest parts of the day. Try to exercise in the shade as much as possible. Take frequent breaks. Drink lots of fluids, and limit drinks that are high in sugar. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink more. Exercise with someone so you can check on each other, or pair up with a teammate.
HKFP
3 days ago
- HKFP
Death toll from floods, mudslides in northwest China rises to 13
The death toll from flash floods and mudslides in northwest China has risen to 13, state media said on Saturday, after the bodies of three people were found. Torrents of mud and water began hitting mountainous areas of Gansu province on Thursday, with the death toll listed as 10 on Friday as rescuers searched for at least 33 missing people. Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer, when some regions experience heavy rain while others bake in searing heat. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the 'utmost effort' in rescuing missing people, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday. The death toll stood at 13, with the number of missing now listed as 30, state news agency Xinhua said on Saturday. Hundreds of people had been rescued and thousands more evacuated, Xinhua added. It quoted a rescue official describing the situation as 'complex' due to the mud and rough roads, with telephone lines and electricity also cut. State media on Friday put the number of people trapped in the mountainous Xinglong area at 4,000, with heavy rain pushing garbage into roads. Beijing's top economic planner has allocated 100 million yuan (US$14 million) towards disaster relief in Gansu. Authorities also announced a yellow alert on Saturday for torrential rains and activated a flood response plan in the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei and Chongqing, CCTV said. China's south has also experienced torrential downpours this week, with tens of thousands of people evacuated across Guangdong. Heavy rain in Beijing in the north also killed 44 people last month, with the capital's rural suburbs hardest hit and another eight people killed in a landslide in nearby Hebei province. Scientists warn the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil fuel emissions.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- South China Morning Post
In pictures: Sydney skyline, US pole vaulter Matt Ludwig, Barbary lions
Smoke from the Gifford Fire fills the sky as the sun sets over Los Padres National Forest in... Smoke from the Gifford Fire fills the sky as the sun sets over Los Padres National Forest in California, US. Photo:...
