Meteorologist: More rain expected in drought-hit north China

Special Report: China fights worst drought in 50 years

Photo taken on Feb. 7, 2008, shows raindrops on wheat seedlings in Zhongmou County, Henan Province, central China. (Chinese media Photo)
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BEIJING, Feb 7 (Chinese media) -- After some parts of the drought-stricken north China embraced the long-awaited rain on Saturday, more rainfall was expected to come on Sunday, said National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Saturday.

Rain or snow is forecast for Sunday and next Monday in parts of the northwest and southwest China. They will also spread to the country's north and central regions, according to the NMC.

The provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Hubei and Anhui, the country's major wheat-growing areas which are hard-hit by the rare drought will brace rain or snow from Saturday night to Sunday. The rainfall will be less than 10 millimeters, but will help relieve the grim drought moderately.

Rainfall expected in drought-hit central Chinese province


BEIJING, Feb. 7 -- A top weather expert said four to five periods of rain are expected in central China's drought-stricken Henan Province over the next three weeks.

Zhao Guoqiang, vice-deputy director of the Meteorological Administration of Henan, made the promising announcement on Thursday.

Chinese president, premier order all-out anti-drought efforts

Photo taken on Feb. 5, 2009 shows a dead wheat seedling in the farmland of Taiping township of Huining County, northwest China's Gansu Province. The county has suffered from serious drought since September 2008 with about 150,667 hektares of farmland and 184,000 people and 326,000 livestocks short of water. (Chinese media/Han Chuanhao)
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BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Chinese media) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered all-out efforts to combat the severe drought in the country's vast wheat-growing area to ensure a good summer harvest, a State Council meeting was told Thursday.

The central government on Thursday decided to earmark another 300 million yuan (44 million U.S. dollars) as drought relief fund in additional to 100 million yuan already allocated. The fund will be used to buy agricultural machinery and other production materials.

China declares highest level of emergency for worst drought in 50 years

People barrel drinking water supplied by the local government at Chengguan Township in Ruyang County of Luoyang City, central China's Henan Province, Feb. 4, 2009. The city had received a reduced effective rainfall since October 2008, almost 80 percent less than in the same period of previous years. The local government has allocated some 25 million yuan (3.65 million U.S. dollars) for drought relief and crops protection. (Chinese media/Gao Shanyue)
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BEIJING, Feb 5 (Chinese media) -- China raised the drought emergency class Thursday from level two to level one, the highest alert, in response to the worst drought to hit northern China in half a century, according to a State Council meeting.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered all-out efforts to combat the severe drought in the country's vast wheat-growing area to ensure a good summer harvest, according to a State Council meeting held Thursday.

China ramps up spending to blunt impact of prolonged drought

BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Chinese media) -- China, the world's biggest agricultural country in terms of farm population, might find it hard to bring in a good harvest this year, with a four-month drought tightening its grip on large sections of the country's northern half.

The drought has added to the woes of the nation's rural economy, which has been affected by falling commodity prices amid the global downturn. All these pressures will make it more difficult for China to stabilize grain production, increase farm incomes and expand rural markets.

Drought threatens China wheat production

BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Chinese media) -- Lack of rainfall has led to severe drought in northern China, affecting more than 140 million mu (9.3 million hectares) of wheat, said the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) on Tuesday.

By February 2, 141 million mu wheat in six major grain production provinces, including Henan, Anhui, Shandong, Shanxi, Gansu and Shaanxi, were hit by drought, Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai said at a video conference called to coordinate drought relief efforts.

China asks for more efforts to cope with severe drought

BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Chinese media) -- Different levels of governments should collect strength to combat drought, which has crippled China's agriculture, said Vice Premier Hui Liangyu Tuesday.

He urged efforts to give drought-relief work top priority.
N China to face continuous drought, persistent efforts needed

BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Chinese media) -- Severe drought in north China was expected to continue as no rain has been forecasted for the next ten days, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said Monday.

The ministries said the current situation remained grim and called for prolonged fight against the extreme drought that began last November.