3,800 sq km Northern China Wetlands Desiccating: Xinhua

Can you imagine the consequences of China’s biggest river system drying up? Millions will be displaced, mostly who are dependent on the rivers for livelihood. This picture may just be the next step to the present phenomenon — wetlands along northern China’s biggest river system are drying.

12 main sections of wetlands along the reaches of the Haihe River used to cover 3,800 sq km (1,465 sq miles). Yeah, it used to; they have shrunk by more than 80 percent over the past five decades to just 538 sq km (207 sq miles), Xinhua said.

Spreading out like a fan over vast areas of northern China and converging near Tianjin, the Haihe is formed by five large rivers. Tianjin is a bustling port city southeast of Beijing.

Via: Reuters