As China suffers from a massive heatwave, with water levels in the Yangtze River reaching record lows, authorities are said to have deployed planes to shoot silver iodide rods into the sky to ensure rainfall.
Authorities report that large sections of the Yangtze River have dried up as a result of the drought. According to China’s water resources ministry, the dry spell has ‘adversely’ impacted rural drinking water security, causing crops and livestock to suffer. Hubei Province in China has also announced that it will use cloud-seeking planes to create rain.
Since last month, Chinese cities have been subjected to heatwaves, with Zhejiang and Fujian provinces particularly hard hit, with Shanghai recording the highest temperature of 40.9 degrees Celsius. According to reports, at least five million people are facing power outages as a result of the heatwave, with temperatures in Sichuan province reaching record highs and reservoirs drying up due to the extreme heat.
The power crisis has also impacted factories in Sichuan, with Toyota ceasing operations as the government ordered companies to prioritise power to residential areas. As the country struggles to contain the raging heatwave, several other cities have been ordered to suspend industrial production. According to reports, water levels in Sichuan’s rivers have dropped by 20 to 50%.
The Yangtze River has also been severely impacted, causing crop production to suffer. According to reports, authorities will increase the discharge of water from the Three Gorges Dam by 500 million cubic metres over the next ten days.
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