China expects more rain to relieve severe drought

Rain was expected to continue Friday (February 13) in some of China's major wheat-growing areas amid the worst drought in half a century, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing the National Meteorological Centre, or NMC.

Provinces including Shandong, Henan, Hubei and Jiangsu were set to receive 1 to 4 millimetres of rain, the official Chinese news agency said.

The rains have brought moderate relief to some areas, but "drought will last because of limited precipitation," Xinhua quoted Lin Jian, chief weatherman with the NMC, as saying.

The NMC said two more periods of rain are expected in northern China from February 15 to February 17 and around February 21, helping the growth of winter wheat, the agency reported.