Rural towns Hopetoun and Walpeup in Victoria recorded preliminary high temperatures of 48.9 degrees Celsius on 27/1. This surpassed the record for the hottest day in 2009, when 173 people died in the devastating Black Saturday bushfires.
While no fatalities have occurred in this heatwave, Victoria state authorities urged residents to be cautious, as three bushfires are currently out of control.
Some areas in New South Wales and South Australia also recorded record temperatures on 26/1, with some locations exceeding summer heat records from the severe bushfires in 2019. By 27/1, temperatures in the town of Renmark in South Australia reached 50 degrees Celsius.
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Highest temperatures in parts of Australia on 27/1. Photo: ABC News |
Highest temperatures in parts of Australia on 27/1. Photo: ABC News
Melbourne, Victoria's largest city, experienced one of its hottest days on record. Melbourne Park, typically packed for the Australian Open tennis tournament, was unusually deserted on 27/1 due to soaring temperatures.
Inside the venue, organizers activated extreme heat response procedures. They closed retractable roofs on main courts and suspended matches on uncovered outdoor courts. During the quarter-final match between Aryna Sabalenka and Iva Jovic, players applied ice packs to their heads and used handheld fans to cool down during breaks.
Fans queued in front of giant misting fans or sought refuge in air-conditioned areas of the venue.
Event attendance dropped from 50,000 on 26/1 to 21,000 on 27/1.
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Visitors on a Melbourne beach on the hot day of 27/1. Photo: ABC News |
Visitors on a Melbourne beach on the hot day of 27/1. Photo: ABC News
Temperatures are expected to drop on 28/1, though the heatwave will continue through the weekend. This heatwave follows another earlier this month, contributing to Australia experiencing one of its hottest summers on record.
By Huyen Le (AP, 9News)
