Chinese citizens seek refuge in caves as country faces heatwave with extreme effects

More than 100,000 people had moved to safer areas by Monday as heavy rains brought flood risks to a region of southwest China that was devastated by a heatwave and drought for most of the summer.
Almost half of China has been affected by the dire heat, the hottest since record-keeping began in 1961.

The Chinese government has categorized the country as "a sensitive region in global climate change."

The Sichuan emergency management administration said Monday that 119,000 people have been evacuated. One village under the jurisdiction of Guangyuan city recorded 18.8 centimeters (7.4 inches) of rain, state broadcaster CCTV said.

The city was one of two in Sichuan most affected by the drought. A national level IV emergency response for floods, the lowest in a four-tier system, is in effect in Sichuan, Chongqing and neighboring Gansu and Shaanxi provinces to the north.

With a reduction in rainfall flowing into the Yangtze River, water levels in hydro-electric power reservoirs have dropped, curtailing energy production. Officials began to enforce rolling blackouts in mid-August, first in Sichuan.

The impacts on business have varied depending on the shortage and the industries in given regions, but widespread factory shutdowns have ensued.

Scorching temperatures have disrupted crop growth and are threatening livestock. When coupled with the factory closures, China’s unprecedented heatwave will undoubtedly lead to global supply chain issues in the near future.

The sheer size of China's economy and population means any major disruption to its power supply can cause massive loss and suffering.

"These so-called extreme weather events will have more impact on our lives and electricity supply," said Li Shuo, climate adviser with Greenpeace in Beijing. "And perhaps we all need to reconsider whether these extreme events will become the new normal."

Experts say the Sichuan power crunch is an example that China's energy system is far less robust than it needs to be to face the growing challenges from climate change.