The Record Heat Wave and Drought in China

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A record heat wave and drought in China are drying out the Yangtze River. Rivers have run dry or they're at a very low level, which means that a lot of vessels can't actually ship along the river. 4.5 million people are short of drinking water. If China can't rescue its autumn harvest and has to buy more food from overseas, this could have an effect on global supplies.

As devastating heat waves like the recent one in China become more common, we’re going to need new ways of talking about them. Vox’s Neel Dhanesha explains a proposal to name heat waves.

This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Paul Robert Mounsey, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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