Lingering drought leaves 7.5 mln people with water shortage in SW China

The bottom of a reservoir is seen in the Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou province, February 23, 2010. Over 1.53 million people and 756 thousand of livestock fall short of water due to long-term lack of rainfall. 4.17 million mu of crops by Tuesday are affected, with 2.65 million mu seriously damaged and 300 thousand mu destroyed completely in the province. [Photo/Xinhua]

People of Dawen Village of Donglan Township get water at a water supplying place in Donglan County, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb. 23, 2010. A severe drought since August in 2009 has been continuing here at present.(Xinhua/Wei Lifu)

A woman peasant collects dry wheat plait due to severe drought to feed pigs in the Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou province, February 23, 2010.[Photo/Xinhua]

An elder peasant squats beside a disappearing pond due to severe drought in the Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou province, February 23, 2010.[Photo/Xinhua]

The bottom of a reservoir is seen in the Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou province, February 23, 2010.[Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A severe drought over the past months has left 7.5 million people and more than 4 million head of livestock without adequate drinking water in two southwestern Chinese provinces, local authorities said Tuesday.

In addition, the long dry spell has threatened reservoirs and affected millions of hectares of crop land and forests in Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces, according to the local drought relief authorities.

Yunnan has been experiencing the worst drought in six decades since last autumn due to lack of rainfall and high temperatures.

Almost 6 million people and 3.6 million head of livestock are facing drinking water shortages in Yunnan.

"The drought would bring grave losses to industrial and agricultural production, and increase risks of forest fires," Qin Guangrong, governor of Yunnan, told a drought relief meeting Tuesday.

If the drought continues, the number of people hit by drinking water shortages in Yunnan would rise to 7.92 million in March, 9.51 million in April and 10.14 million in May, he said.

In addition, more crop land would be affected and grain production would be greatly reduced, he said.

Authorities in the two provinces have allocated special funds, and dispatched relief personnel and water trucks to the drought-stricken areas.