Drought hits China, affecting 10 million people
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-04-30 14:56
China is suffering sustained drought as over 10 million
people have been facing drinking water shortage since mid-April, the State Flood
Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said here Sunday.
A total of
16.6 million hectares of cropland have been struck by severe drought in most
parts of northern China regions and southwestern Yunnan Province, the
headquarters said.
The current drought affects 2.1 million hectares more
than the average in the same period of past years, the headquarters said.
Meanwhile, 7.88 million heads of livestock have also suffered from the
shortage of drinking water, it said.
Since mid-April, most parts of
northern China provinces and regions have rarely seen rainfalls and experienced
frequent strong winds, including Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin and
Liaoning.
Hebei Province is suffering its worst drought in 55 years,
with 520,000 people having seasonal difficulty to access drinking water and 2.3
million hectares of cropland affected.
It is estimated that the province
will lack 5.2 billion cubic meters of water in the first half of this year,
according to Hebei Provincial Department of Water Resources.
In Yunnan
Province, a quarter of the cropland, or 1.06 million hectares, have been hit by
drought. In addition, 3.38 million people are suffering drinking water shortage.
Spring plowing and sowing were seriously affected in these areas by
drought.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has issued
an urgent notice, ordering local governments to take strong and effective
measures and try every possible means to combat the drought.
The local
governments were told to keep a close watch over the drought situation and
prepare and implement more detailed plans to fight against the problem in an
orderly way.
"Drinking water safety for urban and rural residents must
be secured and placed on top priority of the drought-relief work," the notice
said.
The notice required local governments mobilize technical workers
and anti-drought service organizations to go to farmland to assist local farmers
solve difficulties on the spot.
Meanwhile, the headquarters have sent
special working teams to drought-stricken areas to instruct and supervise the
anti-drought operations.
The Finance Ministry has earmarked 100 million
yuan (12.5 million U.S. dollars) of special funds for drought-stricken areas to
fight the disaster.
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