Rain offers little respite in China drought

[Coventina]

Source: CNN

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Rain fell in four provinces this week, but China will still have to take serious measures to combat what some have called the worst drought in half a century, government officials said.

"Drought is indeed very severe, but thanks to the timely and effective efforts we have taken, we have minimized the impact," Vice Minister E Jingping told reporters Tuesday. "If there is no significant rainfall in the next 15 days, the wheat-producing regions will be impacted more severely and we will face a more daunting task."

Northern and central China have had little precipitation since November. Many places have not had rainfall for more than 100 days.

In the drought, more than 4.3 million residents face a shortage of drinking water, as do two million livestock, officials said.



Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/02/10/china.drought/