Severe weather hits China and India: floods, heatwaves claim lives

Heavy and prolonged rainfall across southern and central China triggered flash flooding, landslides and waterlogging on Tuesday, prompting widespread weather warnings. A slow-moving band of rain spanning 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) moved steadily eastward, formed by the convergence of multiple bands originating from the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Low wind speeds combined with the stalled rain system produced high daily and hourly rainfall totals, with 75 millimeters recorded locally in Hunan, 85 millimeters in Anhui within 24 hours, and 95 millimeters on the island of Hainan. The floods killed 12 people and forced emergency services to evacuate hundreds of residents. Major travel disruptions, electricity outages, and closures of schools and businesses were reported, while social media posts showed submerged cars and people fishing along flooded streets.

In India, heat warnings were issued for New Delhi and surrounding areas of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and other northern states. Temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) were recorded widely across northern and central India this week. Already high daytime temperatures have pushed nighttime readings more than 5 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average in parts of northern India.

A maximum temperature of 48.2 degrees Celsius was recorded in Banda on Wednesday, with 47.6 degrees Celsius on Thursday at the same site. New Delhi registered 44.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and 45.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday. In rural areas, farmers worked during the night to avoid the daytime heat. Authorities advised people to stay hydrated and avoid sun exposure during the day.

The heatwave conditions are linked to lower-than-average rainfall this season. Meteorologists forecast severe heat with maximum temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius to continue into next week, expected to last until Wednesday when thunderstorms developing across the north will bring more unsettled conditions.