China heatwave and drought: digging after dark to feed crops as largest lake runs dry
- Trenches being dug to keep water flowing after shrunk Poyang Lake sees farmland irrigation channels cut off
- Crews can only work after dark as the daytime heat across large parts of China hits record levels
But the crews using excavators to dig the trenches can only work after dark due to the daytime heat, Xinhua reported.
01:50
Wildfires scorch mountainside in southwest China as record heat and drought continue
Large parts of China are currently witnessing a record heatwave. High temperatures have sparked mountain fires that have forced the evacuation of 1,500 people in southwest China, and factories have cut production as hydroelectric plants reduce output amid drought conditions.
The drought and heat have wilted crops and shrunk rivers including the giant Yangtze, disrupting cargo traffic and reducing power output.
Fed by China’s major rivers, Poyang Lake averages around 3,500 sq km (1,400 square miles) at its fullest, but has now contracted to just 737 sq km.
A wide swathe of western and central China has seen days of temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), in summer heatwaves that have started earlier and lasted longer than usual.