China Faces Multiple Natural Disasters in July, Warns Government
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On Tuesday, the official Xinhua news agency reported that a rain-triggered disaster alert was in place for large parts of central and southwestern China.
Paramilitary policemen evacuate resident amid heavy rain-induced flooding in China’s Chongqing. (Photo: AFP)
Chinese authorities have issued warnings of extreme weather and “multiple natural disasters” in the coming month, with heavy rain causing damage to infrastructure and prompting thousands to evacuate. An alert for rain-triggered disasters was in place on Tuesday in central and southwestern China.
The meteorological authorities have forecasted floods, severe convection weather, typhoons, and high temperatures for July. Recent downpours have led to the collapse of a closed-off railway bridge near Chongqing. In the province of Sichuan, over 460,000 people have been affected, with 85,000 evacuated due to the risk of flash floods and possible mudslides.
Recent floods in China’s central Henan province have led to the evacuation of more than 10,000 people and caused damage to over 2,000 homes. Shaanxi province also experienced significant damage to homes and roads due to heavy rains. Footage of cars drifting in floodwaters in Hunan province has been widely circulated.
Rising global temperatures, exacerbated by fossil fuel consumption, are contributing to extreme weather events. China, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has committed to peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.
The country has also been grappling with record heat waves, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius for an average of 4.1 days per month in the first half of the year. Beijing, in particular, experienced 14 days of extreme heat in June, matching a record set in July 2000.
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