Heavy drought lingers in NW China's Gansu

Herdsmen lead flocks five miles away to drink water in Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, northwest China's Gansu province. Continuous hot, dry weather has led to lingering droughts in the county, where 5141 cattle have died. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Sunan Yugur Autonomous County in Northwest China's Gansu province, the last and only place where ethnic Yugur people lives, faces severe drought challenges since last autumn, according to China News Service.

Continuous hot, dry weather has led to the lingering drought in the county, which has caused about 7,000 people and 420,000 cattle lacking adequate drinking water.

Some 743,000 hectares of grassland have been damaged, and 5141 cattle have died from the drought, according to the local publicity department.

"It hasn't rained for nearly five months. The herdsmen have to spend a whole day herding the flocks five miles away for water," said Gu Xuyong, a local villager.

To cope with that, the local government has allocated 10.8 million yuan (about $1.79 USD) for water and fodder supply to reduce farmers' losses.