The Dongjiang River in south China’s Guangdong Province has experienced its first flood of 2024, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Water Resources on Sunday.
Heavy rainfall caused water flows at a hydrological station in Huizhou City to surge to 7,000 cubic meters per second at 8:55 p.m. on Sunday, reaching the flood standard set by the ministry.
The ministry has maintained a Level-IV emergency flood control response in the province. China’s flood-control emergency response system has four levels, with Level I being the most severe.
The local meteorological observatory predicts severe convective weather in Guangzhou from Sunday to Monday, influenced by high-altitude air pressure variations and southerly airflow. Heavy rain is expected to arrive primarily in the afternoon, with adverse weather conditions continuing into Tuesday, bringing more heavy rain and potential flooding.
Since the beginning of the year, China has recorded 13 severe convective weather events, also known as severe or extreme storms. Sun Shao, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, noted that the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events might be linked to global temperature rises.
“Changes in the Earth’s climate system affect atmospheric water vapor content,” Sun explained. “Warming climates increase surface and ocean evaporation, raising water vapor levels and promoting severe convective weather. Climate change can alter air circulation patterns, intensifying cyclones and fronts, thus fueling extreme convective weather.”
Reference(s):
Dongjiang River in south China floods for first time in 2024
cgtn.com
