Hong Kong's Subdivided Flats and Rooftop Huts Hit Record 52.21°C Apparent Temperature, Causing Widespread Health Issues

Indoor heat levels in Hong Kong’s subdivided flats and rooftop huts felt like a blistering 52.21 degrees Celsius (126 Fahrenheit) this summer, with 80 per cent of homemakers living in those homes reporting dizziness and headaches, according to a survey released on Sunday.

The study, conducted by CarbonCare InnoLab and the Concerning Subdivided Units Alliance, surveyed 86 households across nine districts from June 22 to July 12, with 78 living in subdivided flats or rooftop huts, among other inadequate housing units. It measured “apparent temperatures” – referring to how hot people actually feel, taking humidity into account – which averaged 35.58 degrees in the daytime, with the highest of 52.21 degrees recorded in a subdivided flat, the survey found.

Average temperatures reached 29.93 degrees during the day and 29.42 degrees at night, both exceeding the Hong Kong Observatory’s threshold of 28 degrees for a “hot night”. According to the Observatory, the monthly mean temperature for July, recorded at its headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui, was 28.7 degrees. The heat persisted on Sunday, with the highest temperature reaching 34 degrees.

Homemakers, who made up 48 per cent of the households surveyed, were the most affected group, with about 83 per cent saying they often or always felt fatigued.