Just in April, many countries in Asia have already been hit by heatwaves. In India, Thailand, and Bangladesh, the daytime temperatures have exceeded 40°C .
China is no exception. After entering the summer season on May 6th, the country seems to have entered a “burning hot” weather pattern. Several locations in Hainan Province have recorded temperatures surpassing 41°C, breaking the record for the highest temperature ever recorded at the Hainan National Station .
The northern regions are also experiencing this heatwave. Just this week, a large area in the northern part of the country will see new high temperatures, with many places exceeding 35°C.
Meanwhile, severe flooding is occurring in southern regions, including Jiangxi and Fujian provinces. According to the Ministry of Water Resources website, since May 5th, more than 21 rivers in Jiangxi and Fujian have experienced flooding exceeding warning levels. Several areas in Jiangxi have encountered torrential rains before the main flood season, leading to breaches in river embankments. As of May 8th, these events have affected 530,000 people and caused direct economic losses of 670 million yuan .
All these signs seem to indicate that the coming summer will be “longer and hotter.” The Yangtze River basin will face uncertainties of either drought or flooding. Under the backdrop of global warming, southwestern China will become drier, and the southern regions may experience more rapid drought conditions. The World Economic Forum’s “Global Risks Report 2023” states that natural disasters and extreme weather events are the second-largest risk in the next two years, and the failure to address climate change is the second-largest risk in the next decade.
