A severe autumn drought has resulted in drinking water shortage for 1.77 million people in east China's Shandong Province, according to the local flood control and drought alleviation headquarters.

Since September, the province has recorded an average rainfall of 18 millimeters, down 83 percent from the same period last year.

The drought affected 2.52 million hectares of cropland, of which 440,000 hectares were ruined.

The headquarters said that 1.08 million livestock were also left short of drinking water.

The province has allocated 700 million yuan (US$88.5 million) to drought alleviation. It has also sent 340,000 trucks to carry water to people in drought-hit areas, mainly its central, northern and eastern parts.

This summer, severe drought left more than 18 million people short of drinking water in 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The ministry said it has also affected more than 130 million hectares of cropland and more than 17 million livestock.

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2006)