Northern China faces heavy rain, flood risks

China is facing increasingly frequent extreme weather events that are breaking historical patterns and posing new challenges for flood control efforts, particularly in northern regions, emergency management officials said on Tuesday.

Recent years have seen a significant increase in extreme rainfall and shifts in the country's traditional precipitation patterns, Ministry of Emergency Management officials said at a news conference on flood season safety.

The rain belt has moved northward and westward, expanding humid and semi-humid climate zones by more than 300,000 square kilometers over the past five years compared with the 1990s, said Shen Zhanli, spokesperson for the ministry.

The shift is more evident in northern China, where the average number of heavy rainfall events over the past five years has increased by 50 percent compared with the 1990s. The overall intensity of those events has also risen by about 50 percent from historical averages.

"Flood control in northern China has changed from being a relatively infrequent challenge to a regular test," Shen said.

Forecasts show that extreme weather events are likely to remain above average during the main flood season this year. Northern China is expected to receive above-average rainfall and face elevated flood risks. Meanwhile, the northward and westward shift of the rain belt could leave parts of southern China vulnerable to drought after earlier flooding, complicating disaster prevention and response efforts.

The trend toward wetter conditions in northern China is expected to continue over the next five years, with above-average precipitation likely across much of North China and the northeastern region. According to officials, the risk of disasters triggered by torrential rain and severe convective weather is also expected to remain high.

To address the challenges, specialized training on flood prevention and emergency response mechanisms has been provided to more than 300,000 officials across 16 provincial-level regions in northern China.

As of 6 pm on Tuesday, the National Meteorological Center had retained a blue alert for severe convective weather and a blue alert for rainstorms.

Earlier, the Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration jointly issued an orange alert for mountain flood disasters, while the Ministry of Natural Resources and meteorological authorities maintained an orange alert for geographical disaster risks.

Heavy to torrential rainfall is forecast for parts of southwestern China, regions south of the Yangtze River and western South China, from Monday night through Wednesday.

Some areas could see localized downpours accompanied by short-duration intense rainfall, thunderstorm gales and other severe convective weather, according to weather forecasts. Local governments and residents have been urged to remain vigilant against flooding, flash floods, landslides and other secondary disasters as the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events increases.