China floods leave at least 12 dead, thousands evacuated

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Flash floods in southwest and northwest China have left at least a dozen dead and put thousands of others in harm's way, state media reported Sunday.

In the southwestern province of Sichuan, at least six people have died and another 12 are missing after torrential rain triggered flash floods, state-owned news outlet CGTN reported.

Some 1,300 people had been evacuated as of Saturday, the report said.

Meanwhile, in Longnan city in the northwestern province of Gansu, another six deaths were reported and 3,000 people have been evacuated, state broadcaster CCTV said. Rainfall in 1 1/2 day was as much as 98.9 millimeters (3.9 inches) in the worst affected areas, almost double the July average.

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A vehicle is seen near a part of a bridge that was washed away by flood waters along a river in Qingyang in northwest China's Gansu province Saturday, July 16, 2022. Flash floods in southwest and northwest China have left at least a dozen dead and put thousands of others in harm's way, state media reported Sunday.  ((Chinatopix Via AP))

The rains come amid a heat wave in parts of the country including eastern Zhejiang province and the city of Shanghai, with temperatures soaring as high as 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit) last week.

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Experts say such extreme weather events are becoming more likely because of climate change. Warmer air can store more water, leading to bigger cloudbursts when it’s released.

A worker wearing a protective suit waits to administer a COVID-19 test at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing, Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Residents of parts of Shanghai and Beijing have been ordered to undergo further rounds of COVID-19 testing following the discovery of new cases in the two cities, while additional restrictions remain in place in Hong Kong, Macao and other cities.  ((AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein))

The flooding adds to economic woes brought on partly by stringent "zero-COVID" measures restricting travel and disrupting supply chains.

Kids play in a splash pad at Hemisfair Park as temperatures reached 93°F/34°C in San Antonio, Texas, U.S. June 28, 2022. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal (REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal)

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China is not the only country experiencing extreme weather this summer. In Germany, low water levels in the Rhine due to droughts have disrupted the supply chain for commodities into the country. Heat waves have also hit the southern part of the U.S., with temperatures expected to soar over 38 C (100 F) in coming days.