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Efforts continue to combat drought

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-02-12 16:25

Increased irrigation efforts and light rainfall have helped to ease the severe drought in northern China.

About 9.6 million hectares of farmland have been irrigated in recent weeks -- that's around 60 percent of the total area suffering from drought.

In northwestern China's Shaanxi Province, about 40 percent of drought-hit farmland cannot be irrigated. Instead, technicians are helping farmers use chemicals and spray-guns.

In northern China's Hebei Province, the severe drought has led to a 30 percent increase in power use compared to last year.

Anhui Province in the eastern part of the country is ensuring farm machinery is running smoothly. Farmers can have their machines repaired for free after calling a 24-hour hotline.

Shanxi Province in northern China has always had a tight water supply. The province hasn't seen any significant rainfall since November. It is using water from the Yellow River for irrigation.

And agricultural authorities are working to prevent plant diseases and pests from spreading. In other drought-hit areas, such as Hubei Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, trucks are busy transporting water to people in remote drought-hit areas.