The Chinese government has banned employers from imposing overtime on staff or exposing them to the sun and heat as parts of the country experience the worst heatwave in 50 years.

An official statement called on companies to provide workers with necessary protective facilities and working conditions, and adjust working hours according to the weather.

The statement jointly issued by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, State Administration of Work Safety and All-China Federation of Trade Unions warned of "severe penalties" for employers who failed to protect their staff or who ignored the notice.

It urged health authorities to raise public awareness of the dangers of the heat and called on hospitals to give timely treatment to heatstroke patients and report the cases to the authorities.

Work places in areas affected by the heatwave would be subject to inspections.

Continuous high temperatures and low rainfall since early July have caused severe drought, particularly in southwest China's Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, where more than 10 million people are affected.

According to the provincial disaster relief headquarters, the drought has cost 8.87 billion yuan (US$1.11 billion) in direct economic losses, and 66 counties were still suffering.

An estimated 7.84 million people in 37 districts and counties in Chongqing are suffering a shortage of drinking water and the drought had caused 3.75 billion yuan (US$470 million) in losses.

According to the China Meteorological Administration, three to five days with temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius are a heatwave and can cause heatstroke.

(Xinhua News Agency August 24, 2006)