Beijing - Meteorological authorities maintained an alert for high temperatures on Sunday, as a heat wave continued to sizzle across China's southern and western regions.

Temperatures remained above 35 degrees Celsius in regions south of the Yangtze River and parts of Hebei, Shandong and Sichuan provinces, as the National Meteorological Center (NMC) continued to post a blue alert for high temperatures.

Some parts of Hubei, Shaanxi, Fujian and Jiangxi provinces will see temperatures climb to as high as 39 degrees Celsius.

The NMC has cautioned the public about heat stroke and urged relevant departments to put fire prevention measures in place.

China has a four-color warning system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.