The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has allocated five million yuan (US$730,000) of "special membership fees" to southwestern regions hit by severe drought.

In a Wednesday statement, the department ordered party organizations, officials and party members at all levels to set an example for others and unite local people in the fight against the drought with "resolute attitude, effective measures and unswerving working style."

The drought had resulted in a direct economic loss of 23.66 billion yuan and left more than 18 million locals short of drinking water as of Tuesday, according to latest figures from the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

A total of 11.7 million head of livestock had also suffered shortages of drinking water and more than 1.1 million hectares of crops had been destroyed in Chongqing, Sichuan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan.

Also on Wednesday, the China Children and Teenagers' Fund donated 1.5 million yuan to help provide drinking water for children in Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou.

The group called for more financial support from society and gave donation standards: one yuan for a bottle of drinking water, 25 yuan for a box of bottled water and 200,000 yuan for a well.

In addition, the PLA General Staff Headquarters and PLA General Political Department on Wednesday jointly released a circular urging the entire army and armed police to fully support local regions to "win the hard fight against drought."