Flood hits China’s south, temperatures sizzle north

China’s National Meteorological Centre on Sunday issued an alert for high temperatures as multiple regions across the country experience sweltering heat, while many southern provinces issued severe flood warnings due to heavy rains.

The intensity of high temperatures is expected to decrease in north China and regions between the Yellow River and the Huaihe River, the centre said.

The centre forecast maximum temperatures of 37-39˚C in parts of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Henan on Sunday. According to the centre, a total of 30 hydrologic stations in 22 rivers in Guangxi reported water levels between 0.03 and 2.63 metres above the warning levels, Xinhua news agency reported. The Hezhou hydrologic station of the Hejiang River reported the largest flooding in a decade.

Beijing issued its second highest heat warning, with authorities saying they expect temperatures to hit above 37˚C on Monday and Tuesday, state backed Beijing Daily reported.

China’s northeastern province of Liaoning also said temperatures in some areas will reach 40-42˚C  in the next two days, China’s state television CCTV reported. Heavy rains have lashed southeastern Fujian province for seven days and are expected to continue, with water levels in some rivers exceeding warning levels.

Torrential rains have also forced the evacuation of 36,000 people in Fujian province, the provincial flood control office said on Sunday.  Days of heavy rains have wreaked havoc in many parts of Fujian, which has declared an emergency response to rainstorms, Xinhua news agency reported. Authorities have released water from several reservoirs, the broadcaster said.

During this period, more than 3,133 hectares of crops were damaged in Fujian, reports Xinhua news agency, citing the provincial flood control authorities. After heavy downpours hit the province, local emergency repair staff, equipped with power-generating vehicles and electric power generators, have helped affected households in Nanping restore power supply.

Authorities in Guangxi region said water levels of some local rivers had exceeded warning levels and that a student was killed in the floods in the southern city of Guilin, CCTV reported.

Railway authorities in east China’s Jiangxi and Fujian provinces have suspended passenger train service on four railways from Saturday to June 19 in an emergency response to flooding risks brought by lingering rainfall.