China lift drought response measures in three provinces

BEIJING - Drought response measures in Hubei, Shaanxi and Henan provinces have been lifted as days of rain revitalized scorched land in the country's northern and central areas.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Friday heavy rains as much as 200 mm over the past 10 days in Henan have relieved the central province from the worst drought in 63 years.

The rainstorms also provided drought-struck areas in Hubei and Shaanxi province with much needed water, while greatly easing the aridity in parts of Liaoning and Hebei Province.

Drought remains, however, in southeastern Inner Mongolia, central and southern Liaoning Province and the southeastern region of Gansu Province.

The drought has so far left about 1.18 million people and 2.44 million heads of cattle with no easy access to drinking water in Inner Mongolia and Liaoning, while affecting about 2.3 million hectares of farmland in the country, it said.