At least 121,000 people in south China's Hainan Province are suffering from a shortage
of drinking water caused by a drought which has began in the
winter.
The provincial meteorological department forecast that the lack
of rain would continue in the next two months and a severe drought
would occur in the province's southern and western regions.
The prolonged drought had also resulted in a shortage of 800
million cubic meters of water for agricultural production,
affecting 223,333 hectares of farmland, said sources from the
provincial bureau of agriculture.
Xing Qiongyao, an official in charge of agriculture with Ledong,
a county in southern Hainan, said the county had 9,333 hectares of
paddy rice fields, but farmers could only cultivate 2,000 hectares
because of a lack of water.
"Farmers have managed to grow drought-resistant crops such as
sweet potatoes, maize and peanuts or melons on 5,333 hectares,"
said Xing. "The remainder has to be left idle."
The water shortage has also affected power generation at
Daguangba and Niululing hydropower stations, two main power
producers on the island.
Many areas have been forced to adopt measures such as
restrictions on power usage. In Haikou, the provincial capital,
power supply departments have imposed temporary blackouts at large
stores, hotels and industrial manufacturers, as well as at civilian
homes.
Hainan, with a mainly subtropical climate, has been a center for
out-of-season agricultural production in China. The province also
relies on tourism for revenue.
(Xinhua News Agency March 20, 2007)