(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-08 17:18

Water for industrial use in Dongxiang and Le'an counties has almost been cut off to ensure domestic use for residents, local governments said.

Drinking water shortage is also affecting about 83,000 people and 40,000 heads of livestock in neighboring Hunan Province.

In the past 80 days since mid-September, the province only had an average rainfall of 49.3 mm and in some counties it was even less than 10 mm, according to the Hunan provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

"This year, Hunan suffered drought both in summer and autumn," said Xiao Kuntao, an official with the headquarters. "The sustained drought has caused all-time lows in the water level of the Xiangjiang river."

The Xiangjiang is a major river in the province, and low water level in the past two months has caused many vessels to run aground.

"Normally, this route only takes four days, but this time we have not arrived at our destination after 50 days," said Guo Hongwei, a crew member of a coal-loaded ship stranded at the Xiangjiang's Majiahe section.

Guo said given the low water level, the ship, with a loading capacity of 2,000 tons, only carried 100 tons of coal from Hengyang to Yueyang this time. But it still ran aground unexpectedly.

At the Majiahe section, 60 ships carrying wood, iron ore and coal ran aground.

"I have been involved with water transport for nearly 20 years, but it is the first time I've been stranded for such a long time," said Hu Pengyu, a ship owner.

Chen Jiang, deputy director of Hunan Navigation Bureau, said the water level at Zhuzhou and Changsha stretches of the Xiangjiang river were all below the level required for navigation. The 1,000-ton channel has become  a 100-ton one.

The whole water transport volume was reduced by more than 20 million tons due to the drought, Chen estimated.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Friday that 20.44 million urbanites, 27.56 million rural people and 20.6 million heads of livestock suffered limited supply of drinking water across the country.

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