Imminent Heatwaves to Scorch Northern China
Environmental News from the Asia Pacific:
Heatwaves are predicted to sweep through northern China in the next two weeks, with more than 250 million people expected to grapple with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions.
For four to six days, the regions of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia, and the provinces of Hebei, Henan, Gansu, and Shaanxi, will see temperatures of more than 40°C, said Fang Xiang, deputy head of the National Meteorological Center (NMC).
As of 5:40 p.m. (0940 GMT), the meteorological center had issued 184 heatwave alerts across northern, northwestern, and southwestern China.
China has faced extreme weather contrasts this summer, with heatwaves in the north and heavy rain and floods in the south. The government has blamed climate change, which it says will increasingly affect the economy and society.
In June, heat waves affected nearly half of China’s population. Part of northern China’s power grid load saw new highs last month, affecting the energy supply, Fang said.
Source: Reuters
