The story appears on

Page A3

February 12, 2011

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

Home » Nation

Drought regions to drill for water

CHINA plans to dig 1,350 wells in eight major wheat-growing provinces to help ease an ongoing drought that is threatening the country's grain harvest, officials at the Ministry of Land and Resources said yesterday.

The ministry will establish an anti-drought and well drilling operation headquarters and work teams in north China, the Huanghuai area (along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers) and northwest China, the ministry said.

The China Geological Survey will transfer technicians from its nine affiliated units to form three emergency squads and 12 emergency groups to assist local governments in finding water.

The ministry will also send geological survey teams with 100 sets of advanced geophysical prospecting instruments and 320 sets of drilling rigs to dig the wells.

Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and Jiangsu provinces, China's major wheat-producing regions, have been severely affected by months of drought.

The ministry has previously put in place a series of measures to relieve drought and find water, such as making underground water layout maps and sending experts to drought-hit regions.

Also yesterday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs urged local departments to increase anti-drought relief funds and deliver water for residents in drought-hit areas in order to provide basic living standards.

The drought is affecting 6.75 million hectares of crops and has left 2.81 million people and 2.57 million livestock with a shortage of drinking water, the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said.



 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend