Chinese officials have said that the iconic sights in Shanghai will not be lit for two nights to save power as drought hits the power supply.
During a long drought and heatwave, power curbs were extended on consumption by China’s scorched southwestern regions as they deal with dwindling hydropower output and surging household electricity demand.
Known for its mix of historical and futuristic buildings, the waterfront area is a popular tourist destination.
As extreme weather continues to play havoc with power supplies and damage crops state weather forecasters issued a heat “red alert” for the 11th consecutive day on Monday.
Apologising for the inconvenience, the Shanghai Landscaping and City Appearance Administrative Bureau said it will be lit on Monday and Tuesday.
After areas including Shanghai in the Yangtze Delta region and Sichuan in southwest China experienced weeks of extreme heat, China issued its first national drought alert of the year last week.
In Chengdu, German carmaker Volkswagen has shut its factory and announced “a slight delay” in deliveries that it could recover “in the near future”.
Similarly, Apple supplier Foxconn and Japanese auto giant Toyota also shut their respective plants in Sichuan.
“Local efforts to save power and boost generation are likely to help mitigate the power shortage situation in the coming weeks, especially if the much-hoped for end to the scorching heat wave arrives,” Chenyu Wu, an associate analyst for China and North Asia at consultancy Control Risks, told the BBC.
From Sichuan in the southwest to Fujian on the southeastern coast, the National Meteorological Center said as many as 62 weather stations saw record temperatures on Sunday.
(With inputs from agencies)
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