BEIJING -- Broiling weather and drought have ravaged southwest, east and
central China regions over the past month, leaving about 7.8 million people
thirsty for drinking water and at least one person dead.
The public health authorities of Nanjing, capital city of east China's
Jiangsu Province, said on Tuesday that a 30-year old tourist died of heliosis on
Monday after emergency treatment failed.
The man, from northwest Qinghai Province, fell ill on the train and was
rushed to a hospital when the train arrived in Nanjing.
In the southwestern municipality of Chongqing, more than 7.5 million people
are suffering lack of drinking water due to continuous droughts and searing
heat.
Severe drought has hit Chongqing since mid May. Over 7.5 million people in 40
counties face difficulties to get as much drinking water as they need over the
past month.
The temperature there has kept above 35 Celsius degrees during the past
month. On Tuesday, the temperature in some parts of the city climbed to 42
Celsius degrees.
Crops on 1.3 million hectares of farmland have withered up. The drought
caused economic losses of 2.5 billion yuan (about US$312.5 million) in
Chongqing.
Local governments have mobilized 5.8 million people and allocated 140 million
yuan (US$17.5 million) to help residents fight against drought by tapping ground
water and improving water conservation facilities.
Water supply for more than 3.6 million people and three million livestock
have so far been solved thanks to the drought-relief efforts.
Drinking water shortage has affected another 270,000 people in central Hunan
Province since droughts hit the northwestern area of the province in June, where
the temperature topped 40 Celsius degrees over the past days.
Growth of crops on over 333,000 hectares of farmland in 40 cities and
counties across Hunan has been affected by the drought.
However, rainfalls in the following three days are expected to alleviate the
drought in the province, according to weather forecasts.
