Nearly nine million people have been mobilized to fight the drought as China continues to suffer from a widespread dry spell, chinanews.com.cn reported yesterday.
More than 11 million people and eight million livestock are now short of drinking water and over 68 million mu (4.53 million hectares) of farmland nationwide are affected, according to statistics from the State flood control and drought relief office.
The severe drought has hit 15 provinces and autonomous regions, with Yunnan suffering its worst drought in six decades. The weather is not expected to improve anytime soon, officials and meteorologists said.
Latest official figures show that, as of February 25, 9.17 million mu (0.61 million hectares) of farmland have been watered, and 7.44 million people and 3.57 million livestock have been temporarily relieved of drinking water shortages.
