China experienced serious drought this year, which was the worst for a decade, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said on Friday.

The drought affected 39.93 million hectares of farmland, of which 3.49 million has reported nil yield. As a result, the country lost 37.36 billion kilograms of grain and 42.24 billion yuan (US$5.69 billion) worth of cash crops, with 9.26 billion yuan in direct economic loss for the forestry and aquatic farming sectors.

According to the headquarters, 20.44 million urbanites, 27.56 million rural people and 20.6 million head of livestock suffered limited supplies of drinking water.

In related developments, the headquarters said this year typhoons affected 42.17 million people, with 62 deaths and another 23 missing. They also affected 2.08 million hectares of farmland and destroyed 79,200 houses, with 7.24 million people evacuated and 29.7 billion yuan in direct economic losses.

Floods affected 5.3 million hectares of farmland and 180 million people, with 1,203 deaths and 107.1 billion yuan in direct economic losses.

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2007)