World - Asia
Updated: September 23, 2022

China Declares ‘Red Alert’ As Drought Dries Up Poyang Lake

By Quadri Adejumo
September 23, 2022
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The central Chinese province of Jiangxi has declared a water supply “red alert” for the first time as a prolonged drought dried up much of the water in the country’s biggest lake.

The provincial government said on Friday that water levels in Poyang Lake had fallen from 19.43 metres to 7.1 metres over the last three months.

The Jiangxi Water Monitoring Centre added that the level was expected to fall even further in the coming days, given the lack of rain.

Though heavy rain has relieved the drought in much of southwest China, central regions continue to suffer, with extremely dry conditions now stretching for more than 70 days in Jiangxi.

A total of 10 reservoirs in neighbouring Anhui province have fallen below the “dead pool” level, meaning they are unable to discharge water downstream, the local water bureau said.