China Faces Twin Woes Of Floods And Drought
Pastor Dale Morgan
China Faces Twin Woes Of Floods And Drought*
Struggling to understand the freak weather patterns, scientists are
blaming global warming, an issue that is the focus of growing attention
in the world's most populous country.
by Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) July 31, 2007
Much of China was inundated by the worst rains of the year, testing the
Three Gorges Dam's anti-flood capacity, even as over a million people
suffered from serious drought, state media said Tuesday. In northwest
China's Shaanxi province, 21 were confirmed dead and 18 others were
still missing in floods triggered by heavy downpours that began
Saturday, the Xinhua news agency reported. As of Tuesday morning,
660,000 people in Shaanxi had been affected, and over 38,000 had been
evacuated, according to the agency.
More than 700 people have been killed by floods, landslides and
lightning this year in China, according to Xinhua.
Meanwhile, the giant Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze was put to its
first serious test as the biggest flood crest of the year moved down
China's longest river.
"Following 14 years of construction, the Three Gorges construction has
now begun for the first time to fulfil its anti-flood functions," Xinhua
said.
On Monday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies described this summer's inundations as "some of the worst
flooding to hit the country in the last 10 years."
In 2005 more than 1,000 people were killed in China's annual flood
season, while in 1998, 4,185 people lost their lives in the deadliest
rainy season of the past decade.
The capital Beijing was also hit by the heaviest rainstorm this summer
on Monday, causing serious delays at the city's international airport
and stranding about 10,000 passengers.
Xinhua said the terminal building had become "a mess" by Monday night,
with children and elderly sleeping on the floor and passengers furious
with airline companies, which claimed they were unable to provide food
and lodging.
Even as rain was wreaking havoc in Beijing, part of north and northeast
China is enduring its worst drought in two decades, according to the
China Meteorological Administration climate office.
In central China's Hunan province, sustained drought for the past four
months had triggered a water crisis for 1.2 million people, Xinhua said.
China's largest city Shanghai is also sweltering through what is likely
to become its hottest summer on record.
Struggling to understand the freak weather patterns, scientists are
blaming global warming, an issue that is the focus of growing attention
in the world's most populous country.
Source: Agence France-Presse