China Grapples with Dual Threats of Torrential Rains and Scorching Heat

Torrential rains and deadly landslides are wreaking havoc across large regions of China as Tropical Storm Danas drenches coastal areas while monsoonal rains batter inland regions. A subtropical high-pressure system compounds the crisis by delivering intense heatwaves to northern and central provinces, straining power grids and parching crops.

Chinese authorities are scrambling to address these extreme weather events, as the economy faces potential losses of tens of billions of dollars. With flood defenses overwhelmed and infrastructure gaps exposed, residents are urged to stay indoors as Danas, weakened from a typhoon, continues to dump substantial rainfall on the coastal provinces.

Heatwaves have brought near-record temperatures to major cities such as Shanghai, Wuhan, and Changsha, leading to heatstroke-related fatalities. Meteorologists see these climatic extremes as part of a worrying trend linked to climate change, posing significant threats to economic stability and public safety in the world's second-largest economy.

(With inputs from agencies.)