Drought spurs extreme-weather fear

Weeks of scarce rainfall in parts of China, coupled with sweltering heat, has brought drought to several provinces, prompting alerts and actions from authorities to minimize the impact on agriculture, water and energy supplies.

Temperatures this week are forecast to scale record highs in parts of China as another summer of extreme weather looms.

The agriculture ministry said yesterday that searing temperatures have adversely impacted summer planting and that fighting drought and protecting summer planting were arduous tasks.

It has sent work groups to seven provinces to offer guidance in the fight against drought.

The water resources ministry this week launched emergency responses to manage drought in Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan and Shandong.

With dwindling precipitation since May around the Yellow River Basin and the onset of searing temperatures this month, drought is threatening cultivated land that were being prepared to be sown as well as sown crops.

The harsh weather conditions will feature until the end of next week, with drought expected to worsen.

Temperatures could hit 44 degrees Celsius in parts of Hebei, Henan and Shandong and 70 degrees in some localities including in Shanxi and Shaanxi.

The national forecaster predicted continuous heat wave conditions and warned about the need to prepare for emergency power supplies and fire prevention in forests.

Rain, not heat, is the threat in southern China.

Fujian's observatory raised a warning for wet weather and potential disasters after forecasting heavy rainfall until tomorrow.