Statistics from the Gansu Flood and Drought Control Headquarters show that the drought, since this spring, has affected more than 730,000 hectares of farmland, causing shortage of drinking water among 600,000 rural residents and 620,000 livestock, as well as 800,000 urbanites.

Officials from the drought control department said the dry spell, though not the most serious in Gansu's history, will bring down the output of summer crops, and further sabotage autumn sowing this year.

Dry weather last year resulted in a drop in grain output by one billion kilograms and brought about water supply problems, effecting over one million people in Gansu, which is susceptible to droughts due to rare rainfall, a hot atmosphere and a wide coverage of dry areas.

Zhang Jiyao, vice minister of Water Resources, said recently that emergency measures are being taken to relieve severe drought in northern China. The measures are: reducing water consumption for daily use, enhancing the management of water supply, limiting the unnecessary use of water, and raising water prices.

The drought, the worst in the past decade, has since spring caused a shortage in water supply in 364 Chinese cities, the home to 21.98 million people.

(People’s Daily 06/26/2001)