5.9 million Chinese short of drinking water: report

The number of people facing drinking water shortages in China has more than doubled to 5.9 million because of a severe winter drought, state media reported.

The figures released late Friday jumped from 2.43 million a week earlier, the Xinhua news agency said, citing figures from the State Flood and Drought Relief Headquarters.

The number of livestock without sufficient drinking water had jumped to 5.67 million from 1.89 million, and 15.8 million hectares of land (39 million acres) have been affected compared to 2.9 million hectares at the same time last year, it said.

There are concerns the drought, combined with last month’s severe cold snap, could lead to further upward pressure on food prices, with inflation already at record levels in staple foods such as pork.

Terra Daily