Northern China has experienced record high temperatures in recent days, with some areas reaching 43 degrees Celsius. The scorching heat comes amid the national Dragon Boat Festival holiday. Xia Ruixue has the details.

XIA RUIXUE Zhengzhou, Henan Province "This is Zhengzhou, capital city of central China's Henan Province, and today it witnessed temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius.

"A scorching heat wave has hit northern China in recent days, seeing temperatures rise to over 40 degrees Celsius in multiple locations. Even the capital Beijing experienced temperatures above 40 degrees throughout the entire three-day holiday period, marking the first time in 60 years for this level of extreme heat in June.

"The three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday also began Thursday, with a large number of Chinese citizens taking sightseeing trips or visiting relatives. According to one travel portal, some travellers have used their platform to request domestic destinations with cooler weather, as they look to escape the sun.

"Outdoor laborers such as street cleaners, construction workers and delivery drivers are at greater risk of experiencing cramps, exhaustion, or even sunstroke. To minimize these risks, they're being encouraged to drink plenty of water and carefully monitor their body temperature. Vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women and seniors, have been told to avoid the outdoors during the hottest times of day.

"China's meteorological center has predicted that the high temperatures will persist for approximately eight to 10 days. Experts forecast this year may be one of the hottest on record, largely due to the El Nino phenomenon. Xia Ruixue, CGTN, Zhengzhou, Henan Province."