More than 2.4 million people have been suffering drinking water
shortages since late October due to severe drought in south China's
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The average rainfall in Guangxi amounted to 29 millimeters in
October, down 65 percent from the previous year. The regional
meteorological department said that eight cities and counties in
Guangxi had seen no rainfall in the past month and the capital
Nanning had been experiencing a serious drought for 37 consecutive
days.
High temperatures have also worsened the drought in the
autonomous region. The department said the average temperature in
Guangxi from October 1 to November 6 was 2.5 degrees centigrade
higher than in recent years.
The autonomous region's flood control and drought relief
headquarters said the water storage in Guangxi's reservoirs had
dropped from eight billion cubic meters after the flood season to
the current 4.7 billion. Forty-six reservoirs in Nanning have
already dried up.
The autonomous region government has already raised 10 million
yuan (about US$ 1.25 million) in disaster relief funds.
(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2006)