August 25, 2009
Nearly five million short of water in north China drought
The worst drought to hit parts of north China in six decades has left nearly five million people short of water, while officials warn of another dry spell further south, state media reported Sunday. A total of 4.6 million people and 4.1 million head of livestock face difficulty accessing drinking water in the north, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. The figure is up from 3.9 million people affected a week ago, according to earlier state media reports. … In Liaoning province, next to Jilin, the situation is the worst in 60 years, with half of all arable land having dried up, Central China Television reported earlier on its website. …