Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is reporting drought this spring in some parts of its east and south, mainly because of less water supply to local rivers, according to the regional flood and drought control authority.

Even the northern side of the Tianshan Mountain, which has usually enjoyed sufficient rainfall in past springs, suffered dry weather this year, the authority said.

Crops subject to the drought cover a total area of 100,000 hectares in the region. The drought will likely worsen and affect larger areas, as the temperature has remained high with limited precipitation in the region since the beginning of May, the authority forecast.

Zhang Zhiliang, head of the flood and drought control authority, said other factors also are contributing to the drought. They included an earlier rise in temperature and the frequent sandstorms and dry, hot wind in the southern areas, greater demand for water for irrigation purposes, and damage caused by a flooding last summer to many water diversion facilities in the whole region.

Efforts are being made in drought-stricken areas to restore water diversion facilities and ensure power supply and the supply of anti-drought goods and materials, according to the flood and drought control authority.

(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2005)