Central China province responds to high temperature-induced drought

CHANGSHA -- Central China's Hunan province Friday launched a level-IV emergency response amid drought caused by continuous high temperature.

The action aims to ensure safe drinking water and the water demand for industrial and agricultural production and minimize the losses caused by the drought, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

According to the monitoring data of the Hunan Meteorological Bureau, as of Thursday, the average temperature in Hunan in the past 30 days was 30.5 degrees Celsius, 1.7 degrees higher than the normal temperature in recent years. The average accumulated precipitation in the province in the past 30 days was 54.9 millimeters, 60.9 percent less than normal.

The continuous high temperature has led to drought in an area spreading more than 178,000 square kilometers across Hunan. The drinking water of rural residents in the province is basically guaranteed, the headquarters said.

Authorities have also arranged agricultural technicians to help farmers fight the drought and assist water conservancy workers in rice irrigation, according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Hunan Province.

Hunan is a significant agricultural base in the country, rich in grain, tea, and other agricultural products.