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Chongqing, a mega city built in a mountainous area that also overlooks the mountains and countryside in its surroundings, issued a flash flood warning on both days.
Authorities have moved 61,000 people in Sichuan to safer places since Sunday evening with torrential rain overnight, state-run China Central Television reported Monday.
One village in Guangyuan City Prefecture recorded 18.8 centimeters (7.4 in) of rain, and the city was one of two in Sichuan hardest hit by the drought.
The shift in weather has eased the heat, and factories in Sichuan have been restored to full capacity, after two weeks of restrictions caused by reduced hydropower production.
This rain would help farmers whose rice, chili peppers and other crops wither during a prolonged drought that has turned reservoirs into cracked soil.
The temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, in what meteorologists described as the strongest heat wave in China since records began in 1961.
China TV said on its website that Sichuan’s energy for commercial and industrial use has been fully restored.
Household demand for air conditioners decreased with lower temperatures and rain began to raise the level of hydroelectric tanks.
Meanwhile, Chinese TV reported that hydropower generation in the province rose 9.5% from its lowest level.
Daily use of energy by households fell by 28 percent, dropping from a peak of 473 to 340 million kilowatt-hours, the report said, citing Zhao Hong, marketing director of the Sichuan branch of the power company.
“The discrepancy between Sichuan’s energy supply and demand will be basically resolved in the next three days,” Zhao was quoted as saying.
Declining hydropower production has prompted Sichuan utilities to ramp up their use of coal-fired power plants, leading to a temporary rollback in efforts to reduce carbon and other emissions.
The share of Sichuan’s power that comes from coal has jumped to 25% from 10%, with 67 power plants operating at full capacity, according to Chinese media.
Sichuan is often seen as a clean energy success story in China, where it gets 80% of its energy from hydropower.
The Met Office is forecasting heavy rain in parts of Sichuan and Chongqing provinces until at least Tuesday.
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