In the midst of the worst heatwave on record, China's harvest is under "serious threat "
In the midst of the worst heatwave on record, China's harvest is under "serious threat "
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China’s authorities have warned that the autumn harvest is under “serious threat” due to high temperatures and drought, urging action to protect crops in the face of the country’s hottest summer on record.

This summer, the world’s second-largest economy has been hit by record temperatures, flash floods, and droughts, all of which scientists have warned will become more frequent and intense as a result of climate change.

Southern China, in particular, has experienced the longest sustained period of high temperatures and sparse rain since records began more than 60 years ago, according to the agriculture ministry.

On Tuesday, four government departments issued a notice urging action to protect crops, urging “every unit of water to be used carefully” through methods such as staggered irrigation and cloud seeding, which aims to induce rain.

The rapid onset of drought, combined with high temperatures and heat damage, has posed a serious threat to autumn crop production, according to the statement.

The warning comes as multiple Chinese provinces declare power outages to deal with increased demand, which is being driven in part by people cranking up the air conditioning to cope with temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit).

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Outdoor decorative lighting has been reduced in Shanghai and Chongqing, while authorities in southwestern Sichuan province have imposed industrial power cuts as water levels at key hydroelectric plants drop.

According to state news agency Xinhua, more than 1,500 people in the Chongqing area were evacuated on Monday after hot and dry conditions sparked multiple wildfires.

On Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued new drought and heat warnings, urging 11 provincial governments to “activate” emergency response plans.