Drought conditions in China's southwestern region are worsening as there's been no effective rainfall in the areas since the middle of this month.

Statistics show the dry spell has affected 7.6 million hectares of farm land. More than 22 million people and 13 million cattle are suffering from a shortage of drinking water. Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan provinces, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Chongqing municipalities are the worst hit areas, accounting for 85 percent of drought-hit farm land. Twenty percent of residents living in Yunnan province are facing a water crisis. More than 75 percent of streams and small rivers in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regions' Baise city have dried up, while the volume of major rivers has fallen fifty to seventy percent.