Drone footage shows China's largest fresh water lake at its lowest during wet season

Record ID: 1686035

  • Title: Drone footage shows China's largest fresh water lake at its lowest during wet season
  • Date: 24th August 2022
  • Summary: LUSHAN CITY, JIANGXI PROVINCE, CHINA (AUGUST 24, 2022) (REUTERS) (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE FOOTAGE SHOWING A TEMPLE AT THE DRIED-UP LAKE
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2022 10:24
  • Keywords: China Poyang lake drought dry season lowest water level temple
  • Location: LUSHAN CITY, JIANGXI PROVINCE, CHINA
  • City: LUSHAN CITY, JIANGXI PROVINCE, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Environment,Temperature,Editors' Choice
  • Reuters ID: LVA001031624082022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Poyang Lake, which usually takes in floodwaters from the Yangtze River over the summer, is at a fraction of its normal size for the time of year, reducing drinking water supplies for nearby communities.
    The largest freshwater lake in China is experiencing its earliest dry season since the record started in 1951, with water levels having already dipped to alarming levels, local media reported.
    Drone footage filmed on Wednesday (August 24) showed a cracked lakebed, leading up to a temple that is only accessible to tourists when the lake enters the dry season.
    During the wet season, which is normally between April and September, the temple is partially submerged in water, making it hard for visitors to get to.
    Poyang lake, located in one of the Yangtze river's flood plains, and described as China's "kidney" because of the role it plays in regulating water supplies, is now 67% smaller than the average over the last 10 years, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
    China's heatwave, stretching past 70 days, is its longest and most widespread on record, with around 30% of the 600 weather stations along the Yangtze river recording their highest temperatures ever by last Friday (August 19).
    (Production: Thomas Peter, Xiaoyu Yin, Thomas Suen)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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