More than 320,000 people in Jiangxi Province are suffering from drinking
water shortages due to a severe drought, the provincial flood
control and drought relief headquarters said on Wednesday.
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High temperatures have dried out most parts of Jiangxi since
mid-July, affecting both people and more than 177,000 hectares of
cropland.
Water level in the Poyang
Lake drops sharply.
The province only received an average precipitation of 579 mm
over the past three months, 30 percent less than the comparable
average amount over past years.
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On July 20, large and medium-sized reservoirs have seen average
water storage drop by 1.34 billion cubic meters as compared to
average figures from recent years.
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Weather forecasts predicted continued high temperatures for a
prolonged period in the near future, adding to the severity of the
drought.
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Local governments are working on water consumption plans and
reinforcing the management of water resources to ensure drinking
water supply and irrigation.
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In a sharp contrast, severe floods have hit nearly half of China's
regions this summer, claiming at least 400, making it one of the
worst rainy seasons in the last ten years.
(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2007)
