China’s prolonged heat wave and drought pose a “serious threat” to autumn harvests and every effort should be made to try to expand water availability, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry’s notice calls on local authorities to “dynamically adjust” scheduling plans and make good use of water to ensure supply during a critical period for the fall harvest.
He points out that machinery and motorized wells can be deployed to bring water to regions that do not have their own sources. It also urges regions with severe crop damage to replant.
Several provinces have imposed these days restrictions in the face of the heat wave that is affecting the country and that has raised temperatures to 45 ºC in some places.
This heat wave has reduced the water levels in the hydroelectric power production circuits. This decrease has put the electricity grid to the limit, precisely now that the air conditioners are working at full capacity.
This summer China reached record temperatures, while experiencing severe flooding and periods of drought. These extreme events are becoming more frequent due to climate change, according to scientists.
To save electricity, the Shanghai City Council asked Sunday night to turn off “decorative lighting” on the Bund Avenue and across the Huangpu River in a part of the Lujiazui neighborhood.
This famous artery is known for the breathtaking view it offers of Lujiazui’s skyscrapers, fully lit up at night with giant advertising screens and even light beams.
But all these decorative lights were turned off on Monday and Tuesday, the municipal service in charge of green spaces reported.
The heat wave in China has lowered the water levels of the Yangtze River, the country’s most important inland waterway.
Several hydroelectric plants have been impacted by this lowering of the riverbed, especially in Sichuan province, in the southwest, where the authorities activated the highest emergency level in the face of the heat wave.
With information from AFP and Reuters
