According to government data released ahead of even hotter temperatures on Thursday, a catastrophic drought compounded by a record heatwave has stretched across half of China and reached the typically chilly Tibetan Plateau.Over 70 days of heatwaves, flash floods, and droughts were experienced in the country with the second-largest economy in the world.
The agriculture ministry reports that since records have been kept more than 60 years ago, Southern China has had the longest run of consecutively high temperatures.According to experts, the current heatwave may rank among the worst ever observed throughout human history due to its severity, size, and endurance.
According to a map from the National Climate Centre, the Tibetan Plateau and other parts of southern China were facing “severe” to “exceptional” drought conditions.The Yangtze river basin, which spans from Shanghai’s coast to Sichuan province in southwest China, is home to more than 370 million people.
Major manufacturing centres, including the megacity of Chongqing, are located in this area.The China Meteorological Administration predicted on Thursday that temperatures in Chongqing, Sichuan, and Zhejiang will remain high, reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
