A severe drought in the Aletai area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has left over 80,000 people and millions of cattle short of drinking water.

The devastating drought, starting to affect the area last November, has left the overall rainfall reaching only half of the average over the same period in previous years and the snowfall in the eastern area of the region only a third of that expected.

Local authorities have allocated a drought relief fund of 5 million yuan (US$625,000). Officials and experts have also attended the stricken sites to guide the relief work.

(CRIENGLISH.com May 4, 2007)