China is battling an imminent coal shortage as the country battles heavy
rain and floods in several regions over the last week. Shanxi, China’s highest
coal producing province, has been struck with heavy floods. Owing to the
floods, thermal coal on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange rose by over 10% on
Tuesday, according to a BBC News report.

Also Read | Explained: Why India is facing a coal shortage

One of the most powerful economies in the world, China is currently
struggling to increase its fuel supplies to ease a deepening energy crisis. The
Shanxi Province has been forced to shut dozens of mines due to flooding,
although some sites are slowly resuming operations now.

Also Read | Power cuts in China’s factories may cause global smartphone shortages

Severe flooding in the Shanxi province killed at least 15 people during
severe flooding that affected 1.76 million people. Torrential rainfall last
week caused houses to collapse and triggered landslides across more than 70
districts and cities in the northern province.

Also Read | What is the Electricity Amendment Bill 2021: Explained

With several China’s coal mines flooded, Beijing ordered mines to boost
output. North China’s Inner Mongolia region has called upon 70 mines to boost
annual output capacity by nearly 100 million tonnes, according to a Reuters
report.

China has been struggling to meet its power demand for some time. The floods
and the coal shortage apart, Beijing is also making attempts to make China
carbon neutral by 2060. However, the country still relies on coal for more than
half of its power.

While China battles a rising power crisis, its next-door neighbour and
the second-most populous country in the world, India too is battling an energy
crisis. States from Uttar Pradesh to Rajasthan and Kerala have reportedly hit
by blackouts over the weekend.

Also Read | Current coal shortage in India is beyond normal: Union Power Minister RK Singh

Subodh Agarwal, Rajasthan’s additional chief secretary, said that
Rajasthan has been receiving less than half of its contracted volumes of coal
from Coal India Ltd. Government data indicate that power shortages have been
reported in Punjab and Jharkhand.