Beijing is grappling with its longest cold wave in modern history, marking an unprecedented stretch of freezing temperatures since records began in 1951. The extreme cold, coupled with heavy snowfall, has created challenging conditions in the Chinese capital and other regions, impacting daily life and infrastructure.
State media outlet Beijing Daily reported that temperatures at Beijing’s Nanjiao weather station rose above zero degrees Celsius on Sunday afternoon, signaling a gradual relief from the prolonged cold spell. The city had endured temperatures below freezing since December 11, with the mercury staying below zero for more than 300 consecutive hours.
A powerful cold wave has swept across much of China this month, pushing the heating capacity of several cities in the northern part of the country to its limits. In China’s central province of Henan, multiple system failures were reported due to the harsh weather conditions.
In the city of Jiaozuo, heating was temporarily halted after a malfunction at the Wanfang power plant on Friday. The issue was resolved on Saturday, and heating was expected to resume on Sunday night, according to the official newspaper of the city, Jiaozuo Daily.
Two other cities in the province, Puyang and Pingdingshan, decided to cut heating to most government buildings and state-owned enterprises since Friday. The decision was made to “prioritize limited heating resources for hospitals, schools, and residential buildings,” according to statements from the governments of the two cities.
The extended period of cold weather in Beijing has also posed challenges for the city’s metro system. Earlier this month, during snowy conditions, two trains collided on a busy metro line, resulting in injuries to hundreds of commuters, with dozens suffering fractured bones, according to the city’s transportation authority.
Beyond the immediate urban impacts, the bitter temperatures have further complicated rescue efforts in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake earlier this month in northwest Gansu province. The unusual and prolonged cold wave has underscored the need for heightened resilience and preparedness as China faces extreme weather conditions that strain infrastructure and pose risks to public safety. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as the cold spell gradually eases.
(With inputs from agencies).
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
