China drought worsens in North; expands fast in South

China drought situation worsened again in the north, and was developing fast in the south, the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said late Thursday (August 27).

In the north, the area of heavily-affected croplands and dried up areas continued to rise, the office said in a statement published on its Web site.

In the south, the drought expanded quickly, bringing the national drought-affected area to 9.67 million hectares, or 200,000 hectares above average, it said.

China major autumn-harvest grain producing areas are in the north. The autumn harvest accounts for more than 70 percent of the country total grain output.