Drought and floods in different parts of China have affected the lives of
tens of millions of people, a national environmental protection official said
yesterday.
A drought is threatening supplies of drinking water to more than 14 million
people, said Zhang Zhitong, executive director of the State Flood Control and
Drought Relief Headquarters.
The drought has affected 16.3 million hectares of farmland in the China's
northern, northeastern and southwestern regions, Zhang said.
The amount of affected farmland was 36.3 percent more than the average annual
area, he said.
The drinking water shortage had also affected 11.55 million head of
livestock, according to the official.
Weather forecasters say there is no sign of the drought breaking in most
parts of northern and southwestern regions in the foreseeable future.
Beijing, with a permanent population of 15.36 million and more than four
million transients, is suffering its worst drought in 50 years, with only 17
millimeters of rainfall reported in the past four months, down 63 percent from
the same period last year.
Local authorities warned the lack of rain is already challenging the city's
water supply.
Beijing has suffered drought for seven consecutive years. The average annual
rainfall between 1999 and 2005 was only 70 percent of the average since records
began.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters Thursday ordered
local governments to take "all possible" measures to combat the drought.
"Drinking water supply and safety must be secured and spring plowing and
sowing must be guaranteed," Zhang said.