Beijing, Jun 10 (EFE).- China was celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival on Monday, during which millions of trips are planned, while its National Meteorological Center issued alerts for high temperatures and intense rainfall countrywide.
Competitors row back the boat to the start point as rescuers pull rowers out of the water after capsizing during a Dragon Boat race in Beijing, China, 10 June, 2024. EFE-EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES
Saturday marked the beginning of the strongest heat wave that has affected northern and central China this year, which is expected to reach its peak between Monday and Thursday, according to meteorological authorities, who issued an orange alert warning – the second highest tier – for high temperatures.
Attendees stand as rowers row a boat to the start point before a Dragon Boat race in Beijing, China, 10 June, 2024. EFE-EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES
Over the weekend, multiple regions in northern China’s Hebei province and western Xinjiang region experienced temperatures between 35C and 38C, with some areas in the town of Turpan in Xinjiang reaching 40.5C.
Numerous areas of northern China were forecast to temperatures above 40C from Monday, potentially breaking records for this time of year, the center reported, adding that this heat wave is “exceptional” due to “its wide impact, high intensity and prolonged duration.”
As the north prepares for the heat, other parts of the country will face incessant rain, which already devastated some areas between Saturday and Sunday.
It is expected that, in central, eastern and southern China, rainfall will reach up to 140 millimeters, accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms, for which the center issued a blue alert, the least serious tier.
Under weather phenomena such as El Nino, China is expected to experience both floods and droughts between June and August, a period in which the country’s main rivers could flood during that period, the country’s water resources ministry reported last week.
In recent summers, extreme weather events have wreaked havoc on China: the summer months of 2023 were marked by floods in Beijing that left more than 30 dead, while, in 2022, various extreme heat waves and droughts hit the center and east of the country. EFE
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