Water level poles emerge after waters receded in a reservoir, amid hot temperatures, while many regions from southwest to east of the country along the Yangtze river have been experiencing weeks of record-breaking heatwave in Changxing, Zhejiang province, China, August 20, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
SHANGHAI — China’s long heatwave and drought is posing a “serious threat” to the country’s autumn crops and everything possible should be done to try to expand water availability, the agriculture ministry said in a notice posted on Tuesday.
The notice called on local authorities to “dynamically adjust” scheduling plans and make good use of water to guarantee supplies during a critical period for the autumn harvest.
It said more rockets should be made available to seed clouds and that machinery and motorised wells can be deployed to deliver water to regions that have no sources of their own. Regions with severe crop damage are also urged to replant.
RELATED STORIES
China’s scorching southwest extends power curbs as drought, heatwave linger
China’s farmers struggle to save crops as heatwave, drought drag on
China’s Yangtze river shrinks as heatwave, drought threatens crops
China heat wave pushes up prices as hens lay fewer eggs