China: Half Submerged in Floods, Half Scorched as Temperatures Hit 77°C

While southern China is suffering from devastating floods, vast areas are submerged, resulting in countless losses of lives and property. Days of relentless rain have forced thousands of dams across the country to race to release floodwaters. Cities lie underwater, villages have been swept away, and farmers in provinces like Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, and Gansu have seen their leaving behind widespread devastation and casualties. Meanwhile, parts of northern China are scorched by extreme heat, with ground temperatures soaring to 77 degrees C, hot enough to cook food outdoors without a stove. Many people are crying out, what grave sins has the CCP committed for the Chinese people to endure such catastrophic disasters? These past few days, the weather in Beijing has been truly strange. On my way home from work, I saw smoke rising in the distance. My heart skipped a beat. It turned out to be an electric scooter on fire. All I could say was, oh my god, it's so hot in Shanghai that things are literally catching fire. I had only walked a short distance and already couldn't take it. Just how hot is it in Shanghai? As people step out of the subway station, they have to stand in the shade to collect themselves before daring to go out. The weather in Hebei is also unbearable, temperatures of 39-40 degrees. Is the sky trying to roast us alive? It's so hot, I feel like I'm about to evaporate. Oh man, it's hot enough to kill someone. Seriously, this isn't a joke. Heatstroke can be life-threatening. In this kind of weather, everyone needs to be especially alert for heat exhaustion. I ask you, are you feeling the heat? The extreme temperatures are sweeping across the country. Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangdong. The entire country is basically in grill mode. Chengdu has issued the earliest heat warning in its history, with temperatures soaring past 40 degrees. On the morning of July 4th at 10 a.m., Guizhou, Hebei, and Lingbi in Anhui became the hottest places in the country. Ground temperatures in West Lake Hangzhou exceeded 55 degrees Celsius, and the local meteorological bureau had to clarify, this is not an exaggeration. In Shandong, even the elderly are voluntarily turning on the air conditioner, which tells you just how cold tolerant they normally are. Everyone at work today was complaining about the heat. It's 30 degrees at night, 40 during the day, and even if you're standing still, sweat just pours off you. What's scarier is, this heat wave has only just begun. I just want to ask one thing, has Wuhan's weather been taken over by the tropics? Every day it's 34, 38, 39 degrees, like a car stuck in high gear. At 1.36 p.m. on July 5th, Beijing time, the city's thermometer read a scorching 50 degrees. Since early July, mainland China has entered a rare widespread heat wave. As of the afternoon of July 4th, 754 provinces, cities, and counties had issued heat warnings, with temperatures in many places exceeding 40 degrees. Such extreme weather not only harms human health, but also causes animals to suffer from heat stroke. At noon on July 5th, the surface temperature on Zhonghan Pedestrian Street in Wuhan exceeded 50 degrees. A video recorded by a local resident quickly went viral online. In the video, a gray zebra dove lay limp on the scorching pavement, its wings spread weakly, its beak opening and closing as if gasping for air. Someone poured water into a bottle cap for it to drink. After some time being cared for, the bird eventually recovered and flew away. How should I describe today's heat in Wuhan to you? Even my grandmother turned on the air conditioner today. Someone even said an 80-year-old man in their village, who had never bought an air conditioner in his life, finally had to get one this year. At 38 degrees C, going to the bathroom means using 10 tissues, 9 of which are just to wipe off sweat. Who can understand that? Even with the AC on, it's still hot. In Hangzhou, with temperatures at 40 degrees C, just look at what I've been grilled into. Walk three steps and a wave of sweat breaks out. It's really unbearable. This is the searing 40 degree heat of today. My phone was so hot, I had to stick a cooling patch on it. Do you want to know just how hot it is in Jinan? Look, this thermometer is only showing the of what it can handle, not the actual heat in Jinan. And summer there is just beginning. What about Beijing? It's so hot, I thought I was standing next to an AC exhaust or right by a car's tailpipe. I figured walking a few steps might help. But no, it stayed just as hot no matter how far I walked. Touching my skin felt like it was burning. Just saying a few words made my mouth and nose feel like they were full of hot air. I swear, I'm dying from the heat. I was born and raised in the northeast, and I've never experienced heat like this before. Changchun is now 35 degrees. Is that even normal? Come stand outside in the northeast for half an hour. Forget about getting a tan. Your skin will be coated in an oily paste. I barely walked 300 meters and was soaked in sweat. It's honestly terrifying. When I got to Shanghai, I thought I was going to lose it. There's a video showing Wuhan's weather. The dryness is just unbelievable. And what about Henan? Look at this electric fan. The sunlight passing through the tin roof outside has heated it so much it's been distorted by the heat. Let me show you my makeup. It's like it's been through a literal storm surge. This year, Shanghai is experiencing an unprecedented heat wave that has broken multiple records. In June alone, there were nine days of extreme heat, the first time this has happened in 150 years. In news reports, they use just four words to describe this phenomenon, rare in history. Around 1 p.m. in Wuhan, where temperatures hit 38 degrees soon, someone tested the heat by cracking eggs on a pan without oil, and they cooked. The eggs sizzled, bubbled, and was fully done, ready to eat with just a bit of salt and pepper. According to Chinese media, on July 4th, on a rural road in Zhu County, Changchun City, Henan Province, a black car was driving along when the driver had to slow down to avoid a tricycle. At that moment, the concrete road ahead suddenly cracked, arched up, and split horizontally due to excessive heat, forming a large fissure and kicking up clouds of dust, forcing the driver to brake suddenly. Many netizens believe the cause was the lack of expansion joints in the concrete, which gave no room for thermal expansion. Recently, much of China has been experiencing severe heat waves. According to China's National Meteorological Center, high temperatures are covering southern North China, the Huanghuai region, Jianghuai, Jiangnan, and the Sichuan Basin. Over 2 million square kilometers are experiencing temperatures above 35 degrees, with some areas in Henan, Shandong, Anhui, and Zhejiang exceeding 40 degrees. In Bengbu, Anhui, one resident used three thermometers to measure the outdoor temperature. At 10.54 a.m. on July 5th, all three thermometers were placed in the same spot. One read over 50 degrees C, nearly 60 degrees C, the round one had maxed out, and the long thermometer also hit its limit of 50 degrees C and went off the scale. Under the scorching midday sun in Wuhan, surface temperatures of various objects were recorded at alarming levels. Metal railings at 55 degrees C, trash bins at 57 degrees C, and car parked under the sun reached degrees C. Even the underside of electric scooters hit 77 degrees C. One person exclaimed, oh my god, Wuhan's weather is insane. Locals warned out tourists that Wuhan's 39 degree heat feels far worse than elsewhere. Just stepping off the bus can make you feel sick, and walking 100 meters burns your feet. Some said their shoes melted in puddles, making their feet feel oddly cool. People dubbed it the toughest 300 meters of the year. Residents advised anyone planning to visit Shanghai to cancel their trip. With temperatures hitting 40 degrees, everyone was complaining, it's hot enough today. No one dared go outside. Guys, just how hot is it in Shandong, someone asked. This frying pan was taken out at around noon, and now it's 2.40 p.m., just a little over two hours later. Let's crack an egg and see. No need for fire, the egg fries on its own. This kind of heat is way beyond tolerance. Right now, people in mainland China are truly living in a boiling hot hell. On top of the prolonged heat wave affecting many provinces, half of the country is also battling devastating floods. Qingyuan earthquake cracks ground, tilts buildings, tremors felt in Guangzhou, Shenzhen. Hunan sees 310 reservoirs overflow, flooding hits Zhangjiajie and Longshan County. Following the rains in Guangdong, many areas in Hunan province have also been hit by continuous torrential to extremely heavy rainfall for several consecutive days. The rainfall has broken historical records, with 310 reservoirs across the province overflowing. Widespread flooding occurred in Zhangjiajie and Longshan County in Shaanxi Prefecture, resulting in multiple casualties. According to the Hunan Provincial Meteorological Observatory, since June 18, northwestern and southwestern Hunan have experienced heavy rainfall. As of 2 o'clock p.m. on June 20, the province's average cumulative rainfall was 41.5 mm. Specifically, Zhangjiajie recorded 282.6 mm, Shaanxi Prefecture, 99.6 mm, and Changde City, 96.7 mm. Five counties broke local hourly or daily rainfall records, Ximen and Li County in Changde, Longshan County in Shaanxi Prefecture, and Sangzhi and Wulingyuan District in Zhangjiajie. Due to the intense rainfall, the Sangzhi County section of the Lishui River's main stream exceeded the warning level. The Liangshuiku Station at the northern source of the Lishui River and the Guoli River, a primary tributary of the Yu River in Longshan County, both saw the highest flood levels since monitoring began. As of now, 310 reservoirs across the province have overflowed. A resident of Xixiping Village in Yongding District, Zhangjiajie, told NTD that many towns in Zhangjiajie have been submerged by floods. It's all water everywhere. It's been two days, and the floodwater hasn't receded. There has been no government rescue. Villagers have no choice but to flee to higher ground. Mr. Wang, a resident of Fengxianggang Village in Yongding District, revealed, Several power stations are discharging water. The flooding is overwhelming, and ordinary people are suffering. At the Huayan Hydropower Station on the Lishui River, the water overflowed the dam without even needing to open the floodgates. The water just spilled over. If the power station collapses, the entire city center of Zhangjiajie will be gone. According to Zhupai News, on the night of June 19, the underground parking garage of the Longling International Residential Complex in Longshan County, Xiangxi Prefecture, was flooded. A car owner went missing while attempting to move their vehicle. Preliminary reports confirmed that four people went missing. One woman was trapped for 22 hours and was rescued at 4.35 a.m. on June 20. As of 12.30 p.m. on the same day, the other three were also found, but all were confirmed dead. The rescued woman, Ms. Qiu, said that when the floodwater inundated the underground garage, she had to cling to a fire pipe. Luckily, there was a small space above the water that had not been submerged. When the water level finally began to fall and she could no longer hold herself up, she climbed back onto the car roof to wait for rescue. According to Hunan Daily, as of 5.00 p.m. on June 20, more than 53,000 residents had been relocated across Xiangxi Prefecture, Zhangjiajie City, Changde City, and Huaihua City. The Hunan Meteorological Observatory forecasts continued heavy rain over the next three days in areas such as Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Zhangjiajie, Changde, Huaihua, Yiyang, and Yueyang, with some regions expecting extremely heavy rain. Qingyuan earthquake cracks ground, tilts buildings, tremors. Felt in Guangzhou, Shenzhen. A 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck Qingcheng District, Qingyuan City, in Guangdong Province, with a hypocenter depth of 10 kilometers. The tremor was intense and affected a wide area. Initially, it was reported to be a 4.6-magnitude quake. Many places, including Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Foshan, Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Shunde, Zhaoqing, Huizhou, and Huiyang all felt the tremor. The earthquake caused cracks in the roads and shattered window glass. The whole ground was shaking, rocking back and forth several times. At first I thought I had missed a step or was dizzy, but later I realized it was an earthquake. My legs went numb from the shaking. I could clearly hear the sound of glass rattling. I was already weak in the knees from fear, and by the time I reacted, the earthquake had stopped. Just earlier, I was sitting on a wooden stool when I suddenly felt a strong jolt. The entire building shook. The whole room shook. The chandelier above my head started swaying violently. Oh my god, I was so scared I jumped straight off the stool. At the time, I thought maybe someone downstairs was using heavy machinery or drilling. I didn't expect it to be a real earthquake. It scared me so badly I couldn't take it. How are things on your side? Over here, in Xiling Huadu, I clearly felt the tremor. It only lasted about 1 to 1.5 seconds, but it was enough to scare the life out of me. Social media in Guangzhou is exploding. The Qingyuan earthquake measured 4.8 in magnitude, and the entire Pearl River Delta was shaking. Many people crawled under their desks and rushed downstairs in panic. Earthquakes are truly terrifying. As someone from Sichuan who lived through the May 12th Wenchuan earthquake, I understand that fear, that feeling of the earth swaying, of being unable to stand, it's genuinely traumatic. Guangdong is a place where earthquakes rarely happen. Sure, it's well-prepared for typhoons—there are many each year—but people here aren't used to earthquakes. That's why this one has left everyone so shaken. It feels like natural disasters are happening more often lately. Just recently in Huaiji, Guangdong, there was severe flooding, surpassing even the so-called once-in-a-century flood warning level. Netizens in Guangdong even commented, so it turns out we've been living in V buildings all along. This tremor exposed many poorly built structures, just like tofu. At the northern dormitory area of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Foreign Trade, just a few seconds of aftershocks caused the People exclaimed, It really cracked! We are truly living in these so-called V buildings. I want to ask, if it's cracked like that, is it still safe? It's genuinely terrifying. Everyone started checking their walls for cracks, all in a state of panic. It was truly a horrifying experience. Local residents posted videos online showing long cracks appearing on the ground. It's unclear whether this was due to the earthquake's force or the poor quality of the road surface. Some netizens claimed the Qingyuan earthquake caused several buildings in a residential area in Guangzhou to tilt. Many people were going about their daily lives when they suddenly felt tremors, only to realize it came from Qingyuan. The feeling was that the entire building was shaking violently. Some thought the elevator had fallen or something had slammed into the building. It was truly frightening. People's legs went weak, and they grabbed only their phones and a few valuables before rushing downstairs. After just returning home, they had to run out again. Outside, it was extremely noisy. Everyone was rushing out of their homes in panic. Did you feel anything where you were? Initially, the automatic system measured the quake at around 4.6 magnitude, but many residents received alerts indicating a 4.8 magnitude quake. When the earthquake struck, some said, I was holding my phone and my hands were still shaking. Everyone ran outside. It was truly terrifying. Thankfully, I live on the first floor. From across southern China, netizens in many parts of Guangdong reported strong tremors. People in Hong Kong and Macau also said they felt shaking. In Macau, some clearly felt two separate jolts. In Guangzhou, many places experienced strong shaking. People sitting in chairs felt themselves being rocked. Strong tremors were also felt in Huadu and Bayun districts. In Shenzhen's Guangming district, people on the fifth floor of an office building felt shaking for 2-3 seconds, and windows on the third floor visibly rattled. In Zhuhai, the ground also shook. Foshan reported clear tremors. In Shunde, some people felt two distinct jolts. Dongguan and Jiangmen experienced strong tremors, with windows creaking inside homes. Zhaoqing and Nanhai also felt the quake. Nansha district reported obvious shaking. Shaoguan also recorded tremors. In Huizhou, the tremors were distinct and lasted for a long time.