China to face 'multiple natural disasters' in July: Authorities' dire warning

Weather agencies warned that the country will face “multiple natural disasters in July”.

Chinese authorities warned of extreme weather and "multiple natural disasters" in the month of July, news agency AFP reported. Heavy rain in parts of the country has already led to thousands being evacuated as an alert was in place for rain-triggered disasters in central and southwestern China, Xinhua news agency reported. Weather agencies warned that the country will face "multiple natural disasters in July, including floods, severe convection weather, typhoons and high temperatures", Xinhua said.

A boy wearing a face mask carries a Chinese flag as he walks along a pedestrian shopping street in Beijing. (AP)

In northwest China's Shaanxi province, many homes and roads were damaged during "once-in-fifty-years" torrential rains over the weekend. Over 10,000 people in Hunan province were evacuated from floods last week that damaged more than 2,000 homes.

Footage of cars drifting down a flooded road in Hunan and torrents gushing past apartment blocks and shops were shown by Chinese media. The floods coincided with record heat waves in the country. China's national meteorological center warned residents in Beijing and a dozen other regions to stay indoors as temperatures soared over 35 degrees Celsius.

An average of 4.1 days each month in the first half of this year mercury exceeded 35 degrees in China, highest since national records began in 1961, the weather agency noted. In June, Beijing witnessed a heatwave for a total of 14 days.

Experts consider global warming to be the major reason behind the extreme weather in the country which has also been experienced in other countries in Asia as deadly heatwaves and record temperatures were seen in recent weeks.