A drought is leaving more than 82,000 people and 24,800 livestock short of drinking water across central China's Henan Province. Crop planting and growing is also affected on more than 1.4 million hectares of farmland, Henan's flood and drought agency reported. The rainfall in January-April was 40 percent to 80 percent less than normal years in most parts of the province and little rain fell in May, officials said.

(Shanghai Daily June 20, 2006)