China's central government has allocated 176 million yuan (about US$25.7 million) to fight ongoing drought, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Friday.

The ministry said the money would be used to provide food and drinking water for people in China's Hebei, Shanxi, Heilongjiang, Gansu, Ningxia Provinces, and the Uygur Autonomous Region drought stricken since late July because of insufficient rainfall and continued high temperatures.

At least 3.9 million people and about 4.37 million livestock are in difficulty because of insufficient water supplies, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said last week.

The special fund will also be apportioned among the eastern province of Zhejiang and Chongqing Municipality in southwestern China, to help rebuild houses toppled in floods and other disasters, the Ministry said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2009)