The funds will come from the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture, will benefit 13 provinces and will be used to purchase subsidized seeds, fertilizers and pesticides as well as in the rehabilitation of infrastructure.
This is the second day in a row that China is withdrawing money from its coffers to deal with problems caused by weather phenomena, in addition to deploying specialists and teams in multiple regions to ensure the autumn harvest and prevent more deaths from heat stroke.
Yesterday, the government spent $30 million aimed at supporting drought mitigation efforts in eight provinces, including Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and Jiangxi.
The lack of rain has dried up many rivers of the country and in some parts of the Yangtze – the longest in the Asian giant – the water has fallen more than 17 meters, there is strong evaporation and stones are exposed at the bottom.
Meanwhile, in the demarcation of borders such as Anhui (east), central Hubei and Henan, Guizhou and Chongqing (southwest), many cities began to build water storage dams, after torrential levels dropped dramatically.
The situation hinders the supply of millions of people with the precious liquid and at the same time is a blow to agriculture, since these areas are some of the main food producers in the country.
Official figures indicate that the country is experiencing its hottest summer since 1961, and high temperatures may continue for another two weeks, threatening the productivity of agricultural crops, livestock and the stability of the electric power system.
The Meteorological Service issued the red alert for six consecutive days as thermometers reached 42 degrees in parts of Xinjiang, Shanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong.
In addition, the government will increase the supply of coal to generate electricity, cover the rising demand for service and avoid power outages.
ode / ymr
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