China is experiencing a new heat wave in the north, while Typhoon Talim reaches the south of the country. Record temperatures have been recorded in the northwestern Xinjiang province, reaching 52.2 degrees Celsius. The Asian giant activates climate emergency measures coinciding with the four-day visit of John Kerry, the United States’ special envoy for climate affairs.
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Recent episodes of rains and floods, and severe heat waves show the effects of climate change in the country, which has already added the first deaths due to high temperatures this summer.
In addition, China suffers from the effects of drought on crops and high electricity demand in saturated facilities. Cities on red alert, the highest level of warning, enable public fountains and distribution of drinking water, in addition to recommending that the vulnerable population not leave their homes during peak heat hours.
The school holidays have already begun and tourism is trying to adapt to the extended hours of scenic spots and activities indoors.
“It broke the historical extreme values”
June 22 was the hottest day recorded by the national meteorological services in the Beijing area and the neighboring city of Tianjin, says Xue Xing, a young student in the capital: “June 22 in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Shandong, the maximum temperature has been recorded in its meteorological observatories and broke the historical extreme values. We continue with an orange high temperature alert.”
In the south, after suffering very hot days, citizens are preparing for the rains and storms that Typhoon Talim will bring, which will hit the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi: “Last week it has been very hot in Guilin. The temperature it reached about 35, 36°C daily, sometimes it can go up to 37 or 38°C. And it’s so hot that most people prefer to stay at home, because it’s like leaving home and immediately start sweating. So a lot of People prefer to stay at home and we also eat a lot of watermelon and drink ice or cold drinks to keep cool. Since yesterday, the weather has changed. Now it is cloudy. It is not so hot anymore. It is not so sunny anymore because of the typhoon. It is expected the typhoon will hit in a few days. It will affect Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi province,” explains a professor at Guilin University
As a great country, China faces great climate challenges. Perhaps the talks with the United States will serve to activate real and effective measures against the urgent challenges posed by global warming.
Heat wave also in Japan
Japan has been registering record temperatures for more than a week, as well as torrential rains in the north of the archipelago, reports RFI correspondent Frédéric Charles. It is the second year in a row that Japan has experienced such high temperatures in July since records began in 1875, almost a century and a half ago. Several thousand people have been hospitalized for heat stroke. The sweltering, humid heat will continue for weeks to come. The government called on Tokyoites to save electricity, especially between 3 and 6 p.m., the time of day when power reserves are at their lowest. In the north of the country, climate change is causing torrential rains.
