Half of China hit by drought in worst heatwave on record

Malls and subway stations attract dozens of people who want to keep cool and beat the soaring heat in China's southwestern city of Chongqing, as the country faces its hottest summer on record.

A crippling drought exacerbated by a record heatwave has spread across half of China and reached the normally frigid Tibetan Plateau, according to official data released ahead of more searing temperatures on Thursday.

The world's second-largest economy has experienced over 70 days of heatwaves, flash floods and droughts -- phenomena that scientists say are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Experts have said the intensity, scope and duration of the heatwave could make it one of the worst recorded in global history.

The worst-affected area -- the Yangtze river basin, stretching from coastal Shanghai to Sichuan province in China's southwest -- is home to over 370 million people and contains several manufacturing hubs including the megacity of Chongqing.

But some regions gained relief from the heatwave. Parts of southwestern Sichuan were battered by heavy rains overnight, causing the evacuation of almost 30,000 people, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

"High temperatures have basically been alleviated in the regions of south China, Jiangxi and Anhui," the meteorological administration said.

- 'Severe threat' -

China produces more than 95 percent of the rice, wheat and maize it consumes, but a reduced harvest could mean increased demand for imports in the world's most populous country -- putting further pressure on global supplies already strained by the conflict in Ukraine.

These regions have also been battling wildfires since last week, exacerbated by high temperatures and water scarcity. 

Some Chongqing residents complained on social media about queueing for hours in sweltering heat for compulsory mass testing required in the wake of a Covid outbreak. 

Temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) have led multiple Chinese provinces to impose industrial power cuts, as cities struggle to cope with a surge in demand for electricity.

Recent heat broke records in Sichuan, where one county recorded a temperature of 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) Wednesday.

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