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Heatwave drives Hong Kong retiree to keep rooftop flat cool
Her small rooftop home in Sham Shui Po hit above 40 degrees Celsius at about 5pm Tuesday, and she said running air conditioning raises electricity costs.
Hong Kong’s recent heatwave is leaving residents in cramped, older housing struggling to stay cool, with one retiree in a subdivided rooftop flat reporting temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. SCMP Economy reported that the 72 sq ft home of 68-year-old Yang Fangxin, located on the ninth floor of a 62-year-old building in Sham Shui Po, measured above 40 degrees Celsius at around 5pm Tuesday, higher than 33 degrees recorded by the Hong Kong Observatory in the same district.
After Yang switched on two fans and an air conditioner, the temperature in her home fell only slightly to 37.8 degrees. She said she expects her electricity bill to rise if she relies on air conditioning continuously, adding that she has little choice but to use it during the heat.
Yang, who lives with her daughter and a grandchild, pays about HK$650, or US$83, per month for electricity. SCMP Economy said she and others have been coping by taking breaks at nearby public places such as shopping centres and wet markets.
The report also noted that the heat has been widespread in the city, with temperatures reaching around 33 degrees and an ongoing very hot weather warning in effect since last Wednesday morning.