HONG KONG – China’s National Meteorological Centre issued an alert for high temperatures on June 16 as various regions across the country experience sweltering heat, while severe flood warnings have been issued in many southern provinces due to heavy rains.
The centre indicated that the intensity of high temperatures is expected to decrease in northern China and regions between the Yellow River and the Huaihe River. However, maximum temperatures of 37°C to 39°C are still forecasted for parts of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Henan.
Meanwhile, heavy rains have been lashing the southeastern Fujian province for seven consecutive days and are expected to continue, causing water levels in some rivers to exceed warning levels. In response, authorities have released water from several reservoirs, according to China’s state television CCTV.
In the Guangxi region, local authorities reported that water levels in some rivers had “skyrocketed,” resulting in the death of a student in the southern city of Guilin due to the floods, CCTV reported.