According to state media reports on May 20, China continues to face a turbulent summer due to extreme weather.
China has been hit by extreme weather events such as severe heat, droughts, heavy rains and flooding for many consecutive years. Last year, dozens of people were killed and thousands were evacuated due to severe flooding storms across the country, France24 reported.
China Central Television (CCTV) said many cities recorded their highest temperature ever in May, when the temperature exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. Zhengzhou City in Henan Province, home to about 13 million people, recorded temperatures as high as 41 degrees Celsius on May 19.
On the same day, the nearby city of Lam Chau recorded temperatures of 43.2 degrees Celsius, while the small city of Saigon in northern China's Hebei Province reached 42.9 degrees Celsius, according to information from the National Meteorological Administration.
As of the afternoon of May 19, 99 meteorological stations across China had recorded temperatures equal to or exceeding the previous May temperature record.
However, the meteorological agency forecasts that this extreme heat will gradually decrease on May 23, with some areas likely to see temperatures drop as low as 15 degrees Celsius. People are advised to wear extra shirts in time as the weather changes to avoid colds.
China is currently the world's largest greenhouse gas producer - the reason why scientists say it increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. However, the country is also a renewable energy powerhouse and is working to cut CO2 emissions to neutral by 2060.
