China’s unprecedented heatwave and drought put autumn crops at risk
- Agriculture ministry calls for efforts to ensure there is enough water for irrigation and to generate artificial rain ‘when necessary’
- In Dazhou, Sichuan, people are taking shelter in wartime bunkers to escape the extreme heat during daytime power cuts
The weather bureau on Tuesday renewed an orange national drought alert – the second-highest level – and forecast continued high temperatures of 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in some areas. Some relief is in sight, with moderate rainfall expected in parts of the Yellow and Huai river regions later this week.
The Ministry of Agriculture said in a notice that the heatwave posed severe challenges for the country’s autumn crops.
“Relevant authorities should issue alerts for high temperatures in a timely manner and take targeted measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the hot weather on autumn grain output,” the notice said. “More efforts should be made to ensure there is adequate irrigation water, open up new water sources, stagger rotation of irrigation and produce artificial rainfall when necessary.”
A vast swathe of China has been experiencing searing temperatures for more than two months. Many rivers and reservoirs have run dry because of a severe drought, and local governments have had to ration power during the day.
In Dazhou, a city of more than 5 million in Sichuan, more than 100 people sought refuge from the extreme heat in an air-raid shelter on Tuesday.