From Sichuan in the southwest to Fujian on the southeast coast, 62 weather stations recorded record temperatures over the weekend.
The scorching heat has severely affected power supplies near Henan province, coupled with growing agricultural losses. However, no death has been reported from the heat so far.
Here we have explained the crisis in detail-
High temperature triggers power loss Dozens of cities in China recorded high temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, with the mercury rising above 40 degrees Celsius in Sichuan province this week.
Chongqing is responsible for six of the 10 hottest places in the country, with temperatures reaching 39 degrees Celsius in Bishan district.
Record-high temperatures caused power outages in the region, forcing officials in several provinces to announce power cuts. Faced with the sweltering heat in nearly six decades, authorities in the provincial capital Chengdu dimmed subway lights and building signs to save energy.
Factories including joint venture with Japanese car giant Toyota Work has been forced to halt in Chengdu, while millions in another city, Dazhou, are facing power cuts. “The hot and humid weather has pushed the city’s electricity supply to its limits for production and daily life,” Chengdu urban management officials said.
In addition, factories manufacturing processor chips, solar panels, auto components in Sichuan were told last week to shut down or reduce activity to save electricity.
Brush fire hazard The scorching heat has caused forest fires in the country, with brush fires reported in the outskirts of Chongqing, bordering Sichuan.
More than 1,500 residents were taken to shelters, while about 5,000 civilian and military personnel were mobilized to douse the fire. Helicopters have been sent to drop water on the fire.
In 2019, 30 firefighters and volunteers died in wildfires in the mountains of Sichuan province.
Drought warning China has issued the first national drought alert of the year amid rising temperatures among officials battling forest fires.
A ‘yellow alert’ has been sounded in the southwest from Sichuan for a few days Shanghai The Yangtze Delta experienced weeks of extreme heat.
This alert is two degrees below the most severe warning on Beijing’s scale.
The Ministry of Water Resources has directed drought-affected agricultural areas to prepare rota to determine who can supply at a particular point of time, to ensure that they do not run out.
Mall hours shortened – Due to heat-induced power shortages, the Chinese city of Chongqing shortened the opening hours of its malls due to “urgent” power supply conditions.
In the southwestern megacity of Chongqing, officials have announced that only 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm daily will allow all shopping malls to cut electricity costs until “temperature and supply-demand conditions” change. should work between
The measures mean that dozens of shopping malls in the districts must adjust their business hours to 4-9 pm to “ensure a safe and orderly supply of electricity and the basic needs of the public”. Chongqing Economic and Information Commission Told.
These measures are likely to continue till further orders from the authorities.
Shanghai to turn off decorative lights Shanghai authorities will turn off decorative lights along its famous Bund riverfront for two days from Monday to save more electricity.
Additionally, decorative lights, billboards and video screens on both sides of the Huangpu River will also be turned off on Monday and Tuesday.
Agricultural production affected Hundreds of persimmon trees have dried up in Gun Bingdong’s greenhouse in southwestern China, adding to farm damage in the scorching heat.
In Gan’s farm in the south of the industrial metropolis of Chongqing, half the vegetable crop was ruined in the heat of 41 degrees Celsius.
Growth in factory output and retail sales weakened in July, pushing China’s economic recovery back after Shanghai.
In Hubei province, 6.9 million hectares of crops have been damaged. The provincial government declared a drought emergency in the area.
In Henan province, more than a million hectares of land was also affected by the drought.
The Provincial Disasters Committee has said that in Sichuan, 47,000 hectares of crops have been destroyed and 433,000 hectares (1.1 million acres) have been damaged. It further states that 819,000 people will face shortage of drinking water.
Meanwhile, state media have said the government will try to protect the autumn grain crop, which accounts for 75% of China’s annual total, by using chemicals to generate rain.
Rivers are bearing the brunt – In Jiangxi province of central China, Poyang Lake has dried up and shrunk to a quarter of its normal size, with water flow on its main trunk down about 50 percent from average over the past five years.
In the southwest region of Chongqing, 66 rivers in 34 counties have also dried up. Meanwhile, the rainfall in the region is 60% less than the seasonal norm.
According to local government data, soils in many districts have also lost their moisture amid rising temperatures.
$400 million in economic loss The nation suffered a direct economic loss of 2.73 billion yuan ($400 million) from high temperatures in July alone, according to data from China’s emergency ministry.
Additionally, the heat wave has affected more than 5.5 million people. The economy grew just 2.5% in the first half of 2022 compared to a year earlier, less than half the official annual target of 5.5%.
Increase in cases of heat stroke – As the massive heat wave continues in China, state media also reported a rise in heatstroke cases.
heat wave will end by 26 august State forecasters have predicted that the current heatwave will only begin to subside on August 26.
Scientists say that climate change has made extreme weather more frequent around the world.
Meanwhile, experts believe that China’s record-high monthly temperatures and drought are also a part of a trend linked to global warming.
(with inputs from agencies)