Eva Deschamps / December 22, 2023
New record low temperatures were recorded in China on Thursday, as the country endured a persistent cold snap to round off a year of extreme weather conditions.
The National Bureau of Meteorology reported that more than 20 stations in several parts of the country recorded historic lows for December in the early hours of Thursday.
This was particularly the case in Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia region (northern China), where the mercury plunged to -29.1 degrees Celsius, breaking an almost 70-year-old record.
The authorities have issued a low-temperature warning for a wide area in the north, east and southeast of the country.
This cold snap follows a summer of record-breaking heat and devastating floods, particularly in the north of the country.
Experts are warning that global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions is making these extreme weather phenomena more frequent.
The National Meteorological Bureau reported on Wednesday that five stations in the country had recorded record cold, including -33.2 degrees in the northern city of Datong.
In the northwestern province of Gansu, where an earthquake on Monday killed more than 130 people, survivors are spending the night in large relief tents, trying to stay warm under blankets despite the freezing temperatures outside.