As threat of global warming becomes deadly reality, what can Hong Kong do to safeguard the city against extreme weather?
- A winter storm in the American Midwest killed more than 20 people
- In Australia, the temperature in Adelaide reached a searing 116 degrees Fahrenheit
In parts of the United States this month wind chills brought already Arctic temperatures down to minus 39 degrees Celsius. More than 20 people died as a result of the polar vortex.
Meanwhile, in Australia, thermometers soared to a high of 47 degrees in Adelaide. Amid the searing heat, the overuse of air conditioners caused widespread power failures as electrical grids struggled to cope with demand.
Worldwide, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency. Just last year, droughts and wildfires plagued California and Australia, while heat records were broken across Europe and North Africa.
Last year Hong Kong experienced its third hottest May as thermometers soared to a high of 36.7 degrees. Then the city was battered by the most intense tropical storm on record when Typhoon Mangkhut raged in September.
And in the past week, we recorded the hottest second and third days of Lunar New Year on record.
