China issues national drought alert.

China issues national drought alert after weeks of extreme heat

The national 'yellow alert', issued late on Thursday

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The alert is two notches short of the most serious warning on Beijing's scale.

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government officials repeatedly citing global climate change as the cause.

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The district of Beibei, north of Chongqing's urban center,saw temperatures hit 45 degrees.

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saw temperatures hit 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday, according to China's weather bureau.

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Chongqing accounted for six of the 10 hottest locations in the country on Friday morning

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State forecasters also predicted that the current heatwave would only start to abate Aug. 26.

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