The Chinese government has sent emergency teams to oversee relief work in southern China where 3.39 million people are short of drinking water because of the worst drought in 60 years.

Residents in Dahua Yao autonomous county of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region receive water, February 1, 2010, from a drought relief van dispatched to help deal with the water shortage due to the worst drought in 60 years in southern China. [Xinhua]

The government raised its emergency response Tuesday to grade IV, requiring a 24-hour alert, daily damage reports, and provision of relief funds and materials within 48 hours.

A resident directs water into a pool February 1 from a drought relief vehicle, which transports water for local peoeple in Donglan county in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.[Xinhua]

The drought has affected 1.14 million hectares of crops, resulting in direct economic losses of more than 3.6 billion yuan (US$527 million) in the agriculture sector in southwest China's Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China.

Yunnan's rainfall since last July was 29 percent or 207 millimeters less than average and the temperature was 1.7 degrees higher, said a statement on the website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The remote mountainous areas in Guangxi have been facing a lack of rainfall since August last year.

Continuous high temperature and little rain caused severe drought in Donglan, Fengshan, Dahua and Nandan counties in Guangxi's Hechi city.

The central government has earlier earmarked 50 million yuan of emergency fund to help Yunnan and Guangxi to restore agricultural production and make sure people and livestock had adequate drinking water supplies, according to the Ministry of Finance.