Peak flood season 2024 in China sees record number of floods
Image credit: Jim Yang (stillshot)
Amid the peak flood season of 2024, China has recorded the highest number of floods in its history, coupled with extreme heat that has shattered records for July temperatures, said state authorities on August 2, 2024.
Halfway through the peak flood season in 2024, China has already experienced the highest number of floods since record-keeping began in 1998 and the hottest July since 1961, authorities reported on August 2.
China recorded 25 numbered flood events, which the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources defines as incidents where water levels prompt an official warning or reach a magnitude of a “once in two to five years” event.
Authorities said that 3 683 river flood warnings and 81 mountain flood disaster warnings had been issued, according to state media.
Almost 5 000 reservoirs were activated to divert 99 billion liters (26.1 billion gallons) of floodwater, preventing the displacement of more than 6.5 million people.
China has been battered by severe weather this summer, including heatwaves, drought, an early start to the annual flood season, and the remnants of Typhoon Gaemi. This typhoon caused floods and destruction in the Philippines and Taiwan before hitting China’s east coast. As a result, dozens of lives have been lost, and hundreds of thousands have been evacuated following floods and landslides across multiple provinces.
The destruction affected thousands of homes, severely affecting crops and livestock. On August 1, state media reported that remnants of Gaemi had claimed at least 30 lives in Hunan, with approximately 35 others still missing.
The National Meteorological Administration attributed this year’s abnormal climate conditions as the cause of natural disasters. The average national rainfall was 13.3 % higher than usual, with 30 weather stations recording unprecedented highs. Four major rivers, including the Huaihe and Liaohe, received rainfall levels double their normal amounts.
The National Weather Office also confirmed that July 2024 was the hottest July since observations began in 1961, marking “the hottest single month in the history of observation.” The average July air temperature was 23.21 °C (73.78 °F), surpassing the previous record of 23.17 °C (73.71 °F) set in 2017. Every province in China reported mean July temperatures higher than in previous years.
High temperatures and heavy rainfall are expected to persist in the next ten days, with a red alert for extreme heat, up to 40 °C (104 °F), issued for Shanghai on August 2. Hangzhou could potentially experience temperatures reaching 43 °C (109.4 °F), according to authorities.
References:
1 China sees highest number of significant floods since records began – The Guardian -August 2, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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