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We’ve seen heavy rainfall sweeping across eastern China recently with devastating consequences. But a decrease in light rainfall is proving to be just as damaging. Either way, agriculture is affected. Heavy rains tend to wash away crops and not having enough light rain causes droughts. Well, over the last five decades, rainfall patterns in eastern China have been changing in this direction—and air pollution is to blame, according to a study published on Saturday (August 15) in the Journal of Geophysical Research. A team of Chinese, American and European researchers used mathematical models and looked at 50 years’ worth of data. They were trying to see if there was a causal relationship between air pollution and rainfall. Their results show that overall rainfall has remained the same, but there’s been more heavy rain and less nourishing light rain. Atmospheric scientist Yun Qian at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, who led the study, told the Associated Press (quote): “Besides the health effects, acid rain and other problems that pollution creates, this work suggests that reducing air pollution might help ease the drought in north China.” Parts of China’s wheat-growing northern regions are currently hit by the worst drought since the 1950s.
For more news visit ? english.ntdtv.com or Follow us on Twitter ? http China’s Shandong Province faces its worst drought in a century resulting in shortage of drinking water. And cold weather continues to plague the country’s southwest. Here’s more. A dry spell has struck China’s Shandong Province, causing the province’s worst drought in a century. State-run media reports that nearly a quarter of a million residents are facing drinking water shortages. Parts of northern, central and eastern China, including Henan Province, have been gripped by drought for more than three months. Deteriorating conditions in major wheat regions have lowered reservoir levels dramatically in some areas of Shandong. The drought has affected wheat crops in 17 percent of growing areas in the northern breadbasket and dry weather is forecast to last until spring. Extreme cold is hitting China’s shipping lanes as sea ice forms off the east coast, slowing the passage of large vessels and preventing smaller vessels from leaving port. The floating ice sheets can threaten smaller vessels if the blocks collide and crush the boat. Parts of southern China have been hit by freezing rain and heavy snow, affecting crops and disrupting traffic. A fresh cold snap with freezing rain and snow is likely to hit southwestern China in the middle of this week.
