In China's southern province of Hainan, over 30,000 residents are facing water
shortages as the drought affecting the island is expected to last
until May, said local authorities Tuesday.
The province's reservoirs are down by 55 percent and some have
dried up. Approximately 128,000 hectares of crops have been
affected.
Yang Yunxian, director of the provincial drought control office,
said the lack of rain was likely to continue through February and
March with relief hopefully coming in May when the rainy season
begun.?
Rainfall in southwest areas of the province last year was about
30 percent less than average.
The Hainan provincial government has earmarked six million yuan
(US$750,000) for drought relief with 600,000 yuan (US$75,000) going
to the worst-hit Ledong County.
Local governments are assisting people dig deeper wells for
drinking water and calling on farmers to grow crops which require
less moisture.?
(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2007)
