China Drought Worst in 50 Years
Parts of China are experiencing their worst drought in half a century, threatening the water supply of millions of people and putting the winter harvest at risk, state media reported.
The dry spell has spread rapidly across seven key agricultural provinces, triggering calls from President Hu Jintao and other top leaders to step up support for the affected areas.
”The duration, scope and impact of the drought are rare,” said China Meteorological Administration chief Zheng Guoguang.
At least 3.7 million people and 1.9 million head of livestock are affected.
About 9.5 million hectares of farmland, representing 43 percent of the country’s winter wheat supplies, are also affected.
No rain has been forecast for the next 10 days.
