Society
Severe drought in SW China regions likely to linger till May
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-03-10 13:42
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KUNMING - A severe drought in southwest China, which local people say is the worst in a century, is forecast to linger and extend till the start of the rainy season in May, according to two provincial meteorological stations.
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 Villagers place dozes of buckets in front of their houses, waiting for the fire engines to bring water in Gangchang village, Huize county in Qujin city of Southwest China's Yunnan province on March 6, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua] |
The meteorological stations in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces made the forecast Wednesday saying no effective and widespread rainfall could be expected before May, although weak rainfall was likely in the second half of this month.
About 32.95 million mu (2.20 million hectares) of that area was seriously damaged, according to the MOA.
The affected acreage was in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces and Chongqing Municipality.
"The drought is the most severe in Guizhou's 100-year meteorological history. The parched farmland cannot be revived without effective rainfall," said Xiang Hongqiong, director of the Guizhou provincial meteorological bureau.
Zhang Min, a villager in Puding County, Guizhou, said he has not seen a drop of water from the water faucet at his home since the end of January.
According to the Guizhou Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, emergency measures, such as digging wells and diverting water, have been taken to provide water for 2.52 million people, who suffered drinking water shortages. However, 960,000 people still have drinking water problems.
In Yunnan, similar measures have been taken to temporarily solve the drinking water problem for 7 million people. The province had earlier reported 7.4 million people facing drinking water shortages.
