2010-07-06 06:47

BEIJING - The ongoing heat wave scorched North and South China on Monday, reportedly killing an elderly man while bringing brisk business to online retailers and delivery companies.

The National Meteorological Center on Monday expanded its yellow heat alert to include 16 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. The yellow alert indicates the mercury is forecast to push past 37 C for at least two more days.

Beijing for the first time this year raised its alert level from yellow to orange, after highs in some parts of downtown area reached 40 C, the highest temperature recorded in the first half of July.

The orange level means that temperatures are expected to remain higher than 37 C and sometimes surpass 40 C for at least the next 48 hours.

The extreme heat is believed to have caused the death of a 70-year-old resident of Guangdong province's Shenzhen city, after he suddenly lost consciousness while walking down the street, Shenzhen TV reported on Monday.

Ground temperatures in Henan's provincial capital Zhengzhou have exceeded 63 C. The mercury in the southern area of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Beijing, and Hebei, and parts of Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces rose to between 37 and 39 C.

In Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, lakes and rivers have turned green and red as algae blooms flourish in the hot weather.

"The heat wave and pollution flushed into the lakes by the rains in May are causing red algae to thrive," Xingqing Palace Park's spokesman Liang Zibin said.

Hope, a giant panda in Wuhan Zoo, lies down to rest on a large piece of ice after lunch on Sunday, when the temperature in this muggy capital city of Hubei province hovered around 35 C. [China Daily]More Photos on Animal In the?Heat

And the heat, combined with diminished rainfall, has brought drought to areas such as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in the North and Hainan province in the South.

The Inner Mongolia regional meteorological bureau said drought has been affecting corn and potato crops. It has impacted nearly 400,000 sq km of land, which is 37.8 percent of the region's total.

Meteorologists forecast the heat will last until Thursday, when a cold front is expected to reduce highs in some areas to less than 30 C.

The Yangtze River's middle and lower reaches are expected to receive rain that will be heavier than usual between July 8 and July 11, meteorologists said. But temperatures are expected to rebound following the precipitation.

The heat has been keeping many indoors, which has been good for some businesses.

Online retailer Wang Yu, who runs a toiletries store on Taobao.com, said sales have increased by about 50 percent since the hot weather started, adding that sunscreen has become the biggest seller.

Delivery businesses are also benefiting. One Fuzhou delivery person told China Daily orders have doubled with the hot weather's onset.

Bicycle rental stands in Guangdong's provincial capital Guangzhou had absolutely no business, China Central Television reported on Monday. But air-conditioned buses have surged in popularity, with many riders opting for them even for walkable distances.