Beijing Experiences Longest Cold Wave in Recorded History

Beijing Experiences Longest Cold Wave in Recorded History/Reuters

VoM News Desk | December 27, 2023 | 01:34 PM IST | Asia, China, Climate & Environment, World | Follow on Google News

Beijing Experiences Longest Cold Wave in Recorded History/Reuters

Beijing Experiences Longest Cold Wave in Recorded History

China’s capital city, Beijing, faced an unprecedented cold wave, marking the longest freezing spell recorded since 1951, as reported by CNN.

The temperature finally rose above zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday afternoon at Beijing’s Nanjiao weather station, ending over 300 consecutive hours below freezing since December 11, according to Beijing Daily.

The extreme cold wave, affecting a significant part of China this month, stretched the heat supply capacity in northern cities to its limits.

The central province of Henan experienced system failures due to the harsh weather. Jiaozuo City encountered partial heating disruption at Wanfang power plant on Friday, but normalcy was restored by Saturday evening, and heating is set to resume Sunday night, as per Jiaozuo Daily.

Two other cities in Henan, Puyang, and Pingdingshan, reduced heating in government buildings and state-owned enterprises from Friday.

They redirected limited heating resources to hospitals, schools, and residential buildings, prioritizing essential services, according to statements from both cities’ governments.

The bitter cold in Beijing created complications in the city’s metro system. A recent collision between two trains on a busy metro line led to numerous commuters and individuals with fractured bones being rushed to hospitals earlier this month due to snowy conditions, as reported by the city’s transportation authority.

Furthermore, the freezing temperatures posed challenges to rescue efforts following a deadly earthquake in northwest Gansu province this month, complicating relief operations.

The adverse weather conditions exacerbated the difficulties faced by affected areas in addressing the aftermath of the earthquake.

VoM News Desk

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