As much of the world saw devastating droughts and heatwaves caused by the climate crisis, China’s Henan province, with a population of more than 100 million, has been hit by torrential downpours. and floods. And the capital Zhengzhou saw the worst conditions, where one local weather commentator called it a “once-in-a-thousand storm.”
At least 25 people have died, including 12 who were trapped in a flooded subway train. Hundreds of trains were halted due to flooding, leaving residents with little choice but to wade (or swim) on flooded roads. Food shortages have also been reported across the province as Chinese authorities deployed emergency workers.
Weather disasters are closely linked with human-caused climate change. According to NASA, the planet has warmed 2.1 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880, and that makes the disaster worse. The forest fire season is getting longer and longer. Storms are getting wetter and more dangerous. Heat waves are getting hotter, more frequent, and longer lasting. Greater rainfall is causing more inland flooding. And the costs of climate disasters are skyrocketing. Stopping this vicious cycle will require us to drastically reduce our reliance on climate-polluting fossil fuels.
Here is the devastation of floods in China.
