Economy

China maintains 'yellow alert' on persistent drought

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-30 13:17

BEIJING -- China's National Meteorological Center on Sunday kept its "yellow alert" for the persistent drought that is plaguing many southern China regions.

The observatory said there will be still no effective precipitation in the coming two days in provinces and municipalities along the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and dry weather will continue to develop in spite of scattered drizzle.

Related readings:  China's largest fresh water lakes shrink drastically  No rain expected to ease Yangtze drought  Drought affects 35 million, no end in sight  Dried-up lakes rouse pest worries

It urged relevant authorities to employ emergency water sources to prioritize water supply for residents and industrial production and called for water conservation during agricultural and industrial productions in the affected areas.

The observatory also warned higher risks of forest fires in drought-hit regions.

China's meteorological disaster alerts are categorized as blue, yellow, orange and red as the severity of disasters ascends.

According to China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, the severe drought started in April and, as of Friday, had affected 34.83 million people in the five provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hunan.