Sichuan Province is now in the middle of the worst drought in over 20 years. Since November 2012, the average precipitation has dropped by 52 percent. Drought continued after the spring of 2013, spreading rapidly throughout Sichuan Province, which has the largest drought-stricken area in over 20 years.
According to the Sichuan authorities, over 6 million of its population have been hit by drought. About 1.15 million people and 360,000 large livestock suffer from a lack of drinking water. The drought has also damaged or destroyed 395,000 acres of crops, with the direct economic loss alone reaching 1.74 billion yuan (approximately US$277 million).
Source: People’s Daily, March 21, 2013
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