Rain Eases North China Droughts

Strong precipitation over the past few days has alleviated the drought in north China, but the region is still short of water, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said on july 6.

From July 3 to 6, much of the region received 25 to 50 mm of rain. Parts of Beijing and Hebei got as much as 200 mm of rain.

The rain has greatly improved the soil moisture content, and will benefit the growth of autumn crops, said officials at the headquarters.

As the precipitation has been short and the drought severe, some parts of the region are still facing shortages of drinking water.

Statistics show that over the past six months, rainfall in much of north China has been 20 to 60 percent less than in normal years.



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