Southwest China's Yunnan Province has been tormenting from a drought believed to be the worst in 25 years, with 3.6 million residents and 2.88 million head of draught livestock having difficulty of getting drinkable water.

In the meantime, 924 small reservoirs and ponds in the province have been dried up, and water-pumping has ceased with 476 pumped wells because of inadequate water. By May 26, farm crops with a combined area of 1.68 million hectares are affected by the drought, information from the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said.

An official with the headquarters blamed sustained heatwave weather for the severe drought in the province, citing rainfall in Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Dali was 2.8 mm from April 1 to May 27.

Under the spell of heatwave, the highest temperature in a half of counties and cities in the plateau province has gone up to over 30 degrees Celsius, and in the two counties of Yuanyang and Yuanjiang, there have been days with the temperature exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

The severe drought has adversely affected growing of agricultural crops, including floral production, in most of the southwest Chinese province, a leading floral producer in the country.

The provincial Party and government authorities have gone all out to organize operations to alleviate drought in the province. By May 26, some 100 million yuan (about US$12.1 million) have been spent on drought alleviation campaign, and 1.71 million residents and 1.1 million head of draught livestock have been brought out of the dilemma to be unable to find drinking water.

According to the official, the provincial government has decided to add 30 million yuan (about US$3.62 million) for new rounds of drought alleviation efforts in the province. 

(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2005)