Spreading drought hit south China's Guangdong Province, where more than 50,000 people had drinking water shortage while 53,333 hectares of crops were affected.

According to local flood control and drought relief authorities, average rainfall in Guangdong this year was 1,400 millimeters, 13 percent down from previous years.

In Renhua County in Shaoguan City, one of the worst-hit area, water level in the reservoirs was just 78.2 percent of normal years, said Huang Fuyang, deputy head of the county. Cracks appeared in the field due to drought.

"I have been living here for so many years, but I never saw such serious drought," a 73-year-old farmer from Zhoutian township in Renhua county told Xinhua.

Governments at different levels in the province have earmarked more than 67.7 million yuan (about US$10 million) for drought relief. Local authorities were encouraged to make artificial rains.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2009)