Experts: China may enter new period of drought
( 2001-06-11 21:48 ) (8 )

Chinese meteorologists said Monday that recent weather changes indicate that a possible new period of drought has been affecting the country.

The State Food Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFCDRH) said that this year has seen the largest drought in the country since 1990.

China has suffered successive droughts influencing vast regions since 1999, an apparent contrast to the rainy days in the years before 1998 when China was hit by the biggest floods in history.

By the end of May this year, the drought had affected a total of 22.7 million ha. of farmland, leaving 293,000 ha. with no harvest. The drought also caused temporary shortages of drinking water for 15.8 million people and 11.4 million livestock.