Northeast China has been experiencing a prolonged heatwave, and with many university dormitories lacking air conditioning, students have been unable to sleep due to the high temperatures. Many have chosen to sleep in hallways, on playgrounds, and even in bathroom sinks to escape the heat.
According to Red Star News and Jimu News, videos of university students in Northeast China complaining about the heat have recently sparked heated discussion on Chinese social media. In the videos, many students can be seen cooling off in hallways, sleeping on the floor, or setting up tents outdoors; several students at Jilin Agricultural University even slept in bathroom sinks.
A student from Jilin Animation Institute said in an interview that there is no air conditioning or fans in the school dormitories. “In previous years, even if it was hot, we could still sleep. This year it's just too hot.” According to the student, the dormitory electricity is usually cut off at 10:30pm, so students typically bring their own small fans and use power banks to keep them running.
A student at Harbin Normal University said that due to the high temperatures and no air conditioning or fans, many students have moved collectively into the corridor of the dormitory.
On video platforms, some students also said they paid to stay in hotels with air conditioning. For a time, many hotels near local universities were fully booked.
Data shows that since June 23, the areas of Northeast China with temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius have been expanding. On Wednesday (June 25), surface temperatures in some areas reached as high as 65 degrees. The provincial capitals of Heilongjiang (Harbin) and Jilin (Changchun) have seen daily highs above 30 degrees this week.
Reports state that several universities responded by saying their dormitories are not equipped with air conditioning, but that various measures would be taken to cope with the heat. Meanwhile, Harbin Institute of Technology, also in the Northeast, made two posts on Weibo showing dorms equipped with air conditioning, saying, "University dormitories are the hidden admissions office."
As for this bout of abnormal heat in the Northeast, Xu Xiaofeng, President of the China Meteorological Service Association and former Deputy Director of the China Meteorological Administration, said in an interview that due to the control of a warm high-pressure ridge, the whole of Heilongjiang Province is currently experiencing hot weather. However, he noted that the heatwave should not last long nor cause disasters such as drought, and the local area will soon see rain and lower temperatures.
A student from Jilin Animation Institute said in an interview that there is no air conditioning or fans in the school dormitories. “In previous years, even if it was hot, we could still sleep. This year it's just too hot.” According to the student, the dormitory electricity is usually cut off at 10:30pm, so students typically bring their own small fans and use power banks to keep them running.
A student at Harbin Normal University said that due to the high temperatures and no air conditioning or fans, many students have moved collectively into the corridor of the dormitory.
On video platforms, some students also said they paid to stay in hotels with air conditioning. For a time, many hotels near local universities were fully booked.
Data shows that since June 23, the areas of Northeast China with temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius have been expanding. On Wednesday (June 25), surface temperatures in some areas reached as high as 65 degrees. The provincial capitals of Heilongjiang (Harbin) and Jilin (Changchun) have seen daily highs above 30 degrees this week.
Reports state that several universities responded by saying their dormitories are not equipped with air conditioning, but that various measures would be taken to cope with the heat. Meanwhile, Harbin Institute of Technology, also in the Northeast, made two posts on Weibo showing dorms equipped with air conditioning, saying, "University dormitories are the hidden admissions office."
As for this bout of abnormal heat in the Northeast, Xu Xiaofeng, President of the China Meteorological Service Association and former Deputy Director of the China Meteorological Administration, said in an interview that due to the control of a warm high-pressure ridge, the whole of Heilongjiang Province is currently experiencing hot weather. However, he noted that the heatwave should not last long nor cause disasters such as drought, and the local area will soon see rain and lower temperatures.