From north-west to east China, parched regions face drought
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China's Water Resources Ministry this week launched emergency responses to manage drought in Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BEIJING - Weeks of scarce rainfall in parts of China, coupled with sweltering heat, have brought drought to several provinces, prompting alerts and actions from the authorities to minimise impacts on agriculture, and water and energy supplies.
Temperatures this week are forecast to scale record highs in parts of China as countries across Asia brace themselves for another summer of extreme weather.
China’s Agriculture ministry said on June 13 that searing temperatures have adversely impacted summer planting and that fighting drought and protecting summer planting were arduous tasks.
The ministry has sent several work groups to seven provinces to offer guidance in tackling the drought.
China’s Water Resources Ministry this week launched emergency responses to manage drought in Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces, indicating various regions in the country spanning the north-west to the east are facing parched and scorching conditions.
With dwindling precipitation since May in areas around the Yellow River Basin, in combination with the onset of searing temperatures in June, drought is threatening cultivated land that was being prepared to be sown, as well as sown crops, Xinhua news agency reported.
The harsh weather conditions will remain until the end of next week, with drought expected to worsen, official media said.
In some parts of Hebei, Henan and Shandong provinces, temperatures could reach 44 deg C, potentially breaking historical records for the month of June, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Surface temperatures could hit 70 deg C in some localities, including in Shanxi and Shaanxi, it added.
The Emergency Management Ministry has alerted affected regions including north-western Shaanxi, northern Hebei and Shanxi, eastern Anhui and Shandong as well as central Henan to protect water and food production.
China’s national forecaster predicted continuous heatwave conditions and warned about the need to prepare for emergency power supplies as well as fire prevention in forest areas, the People’s Daily reported.
Electricity demand typically soars during periods of high temperatures as people crank up the air-conditioning to stay cool.
Rain, not heat, is the threat in southern China. Coastal Fujian’s provincial observatory raised a warning for wet weather and potential disasters after forecasting heavy rainfall until June 15. REUTERS
