"Trees Are Burning" On One Side, Heatwave; On the Other, Flood... China Swings Between Extremes

3 Dead Due to Floods... Meanwhile, Heatstroke Cases on the Rise

(Left) On the 11th, smoke was seen coming from the street trees in Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, China, as they spontaneously ignited. (Right) On the 12th, the Muju Tibetan village, a mountain village in Pingwu County, Sichuan Province, China, suffered flood damage due to heavy rain.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Following heavy rains, a heatwave has struck across China, causing widespread disruption.

According to China's state-run CCTV on the 14th, floods in a mountain village in Sichuan Province in central-west China have resulted in 3 deaths and 15 people missing.

The media reported that the Muju Tibetan village, a mountain village in Pingwu County, Sichuan Province, suffered flood damage on the 12th due to heavy rains that fell in a short period in the upstream area of a neighboring river.

Flood damage area in Shanchuan, Sichuan Province, China. Photo by China CCTV [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Chinese authorities, as of 12 PM local time on the 14th, 150 residents who had been isolated were rescued, and more than 700 people evacuated to safe locations; however, 3 people have died and 15 remain uncontactable.

Meanwhile, in central and southern China on the 13th, the daytime maximum temperature exceeded 40 degrees Celsius for the eighth consecutive day amid the heatwave.

Trees spontaneously ignited in Hangzhou.
Photo by Weibo Capture Yonhap [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the China Meteorological Administration, the daytime maximum temperatures in Sichuan, Chongqing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Yunnan regions have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius for eight consecutive days since the 6th, with some areas such as Yanjin in Yunnan Province reaching up to 44 degrees Celsius.

On the 12th, the daytime maximum temperatures recorded at 59 national meteorological observation stations set all-time records for July.

The heatwave even caused roadside trees to spontaneously ignite. On the 11th, smoke was seen coming from roadside trees in Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, with local fire authorities attributing it to the ongoing heatwave.

The China Meteorological Administration issued a yellow heatwave warning for 11 provinces and cities including Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Hubei on that day, urging people to refrain from outdoor activities.