In Northern China, especially in Henan province, the heatwave continues to intensify. Residents in Pingdingshan, Henan, have noticed that the shrimp they raise on their balconies have turned red due to the scorching temperatures. People are calling it a state of emergency in Henan, with some saying, “Henan is in trouble!” and “Henan is facing unprecedented challenges.” Rumors have been circulating online that farmers in Henan are kneeling on the ground, praying for rain from the heavens.
On June 14th, the Henan Meteorological Observatory issued a high-temperature warning. It stated that on June 14th, the temperatures in locations like Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Shangqiu, Pingdingshan, Xuchang, Luohe, Zhoukou, the eastern part of Nanyang, Zhumadian, and Xinxiang would reach above 37℃, with some areas in Zhoukou and the northern part of Zhumadian expected to exceed 40℃.
The forecast for June 15th predicts that temperatures in cities like Anyang, Puyang, Xinxiang, Jiaozuo, Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Shangqiu, Pingdingshan, Xuchang, Luohe, Zhoukou, Nanyang, Zhumadian, and Xinxiang will also climb above 37℃, with parts of Luohe, Zhoukou, and Zhumadian expected to surpass 40℃.
According to the Zhengzhou Meteorological Observatory, on the 13th, many areas in Zhengzhou experienced temperatures above 40℃. The highest temperature, 43.9℃, was recorded in the villages of Houlincun and Jinkoucun in Gongyi.
A video posted by “Jiaodian Video” under the Henan Business Daily showed a young man from Zhengzhou demonstrating the local high temperatures using ants. He placed ants on the ground, and within seconds, all the ants were scalded to death.
Reports also stated that a woman in Pingdingshan, Henan, woke up one morning to find that the shrimp on her balcony had turned red. She believes that the high temperatures led to the water temperature rising too high, causing the shrimp to die from heat.
A netizen named “Huoshan Shihua” urgently wrote, “It’s too difficult! Henan is in trouble!” The post mentioned that Henan has been under a drought warning for 10 consecutive days, with another 8 days of drought forecasted, leading to many areas in Henan facing a severe drought situation.
The Henan Provincial Emergency Management Department indicated that the area affected by severe and extreme drought in Henan continues to expand, with 3.23 million acres of land unable to be planted due to drought.
The “Pengbai News” reported on the 13th that many rivers in Henan have dried up, leaving behind only parched riverbeds. An elderly farmer, Zhang, lamented, “It has become a desert here; Henan no longer has rivers, only difficulties!”
Corn is a crucial crop for local farmers, but due to the combination of high temperatures and lack of water, the farmlands have become parched and cracked, preventing corn from growing. Farmers are tirelessly extracting groundwater day and night, but it’s still insufficient for irrigation needs. To compete for limited water resources, farmers have even engaged in disputes that escalated into violent incidents.
Villagers reported that newly planted corn has already been watered twice within less than 20 days, with the seedlings struggling due to the lack of water. If the high temperatures persist, they will need to water for a third time within 5 to 10 days, increasing the planting costs. A farmer needs over ten RMB in electricity fees per mu of land for irrigation.
Zou Ximei, a 71-year-old villager from Qianxie Village, mentioned that her two sons work outside, while she and her elderly husband are exhausted from watering the crops.
The chairman of Henan Green Long Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., Liu Shunde, noted that in his ten years of managing a garlic chive farm, he has never seen such a severe drought situation as this year. Due to the persistent high temperatures, the groundwater level has dropped significantly, reducing the irrigation capacity of a well from watering 30-40 mu per day to just 10-20 mu. The excessive heat has also taken a toll on farmworkers, and the rising cost of continuous irrigation is heartbreaking.
There have been reports circulating online showing desperate farmers in the area kneeling on the ground, praying for a heavy rainfall from the heavens.