Broiling weather and drought have ravaged southwest, east and central China regions over the past month, leaving about 7.8 million people thirsty for drinking water and at least one person dead.

The public health authorities of Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province, said on Tuesday that a 30-year old tourist died of heliosis on Monday after emergency treatment failed.

The man, from northwest Qinghai Province, fell ill on the train and was rushed to a hospital when the train arrived in Nanjing.

In the southwestern municipality of Chongqing, more than 7.5 million people are suffering lack of drinking water due to continuous droughts and searing heat.

Severe drought has hit Chongqing since mid May. Over 7.5 million people in 40 counties faced difficulties to get as much drinking water as they need over the past month.

The temperature there has kept above 35 Celsius degrees during the past month. On Tuesday, the temperature in some parts of the city climbed to 42 Celsius degrees.

Drinking water shortage has affected another 270,000 people in central Hunan Province since droughts hit the northwestern area of the province in June, where the temperature topped 40 Celsius degrees over the past days.

Growth of crops on over 333,000 hectares of farmland in 40 cities and counties across Hunan has been affected by the drought.

However, rainfalls in the following three days are expected to alleviate the drought in the province, according to weather forecasts.

(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2006)