China: Heatwave triggers power shortages in several parts, hits country's crop production

With experts warning since years that climate crisis would adversely impact human lives and trigger shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, China is battling its worst heatwave in decades while the rainfall has hit record high in June leading to homes and roads damaged by landslides, crops burning under scorching heat and Covid workers collapsing from heatstroke.

China is fighting its worst climate crisis in decades. With at least 64% population of the northern province of China reeling under the extreme heatwave situation, the authorities have issued high-temperature warnings for northeastern provinces of the country, alongside their highest-level red alerts for about 84 cities. 

Meanwhile, the Asian country is also experiencing seasonal flooding, predominantly in its southern part, causing misery for hundreds of thousands as the devastating rainfall is breaking all historical records. 

China experiencing 'deadly heatwave'

In an apt hallmarks of climate change, the world's most populus country is battering extreme heatwave leading the authorities to issue weather emergency warnings. Affecting more than 900 million people of the country, the temperature scale has smashed historical records in a total of 71 national weather stations across China. According to the National Climate Center, about four cities, three in the central province of Hebei and one in Yunnan in the southwest, reported temperatures touching 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).

Apart from hampering the livelihood of millions of Chinese people, the heatwave is also causing power shortage in some regions. The temperature scale is also affecting the country's crop production leading towards an increase in food prices.
Meanwhile, COVID is another challenge that is battering the country at the moment. With severe heat and the spread of COVID cases, it has become extremely difficult for the Chinese health workers to continue with their task wearing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) suits. Many COVID workers were reported to be collapsing on the ground from heatstroke. 

China sees 'record rains'

Since the arrival of rainy season in May, the sourthern parts of the China are witnessing record rainfall bringing severe landslides and flooding. Coastal Fujian province, as well as parts of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces are seeing heavy rainfall since June killing dozens of people and forcing thousands of people to displace.