China says it will try to protect its grain harvest by using chemicals to generate rain, while factories in the southwest wait to find out if they will be shut down for another week due to shortages of water to generate hydropower
The hottest, driest summer since the government began recording precipitation and temperature 61 years ago has left crops dead and the water levels in the lakes half their normal levels. In order to save power, factories in the province were shut down last week.
The minister said the coming 10 days will be a key period of damage resistance for the rice crop.
According to the report, Tang said Friday that emergency steps would be taken to ensure the autumn grain harvest.
The ministry said it would try to increase rain by seeding clouds with chemicals and spraying crops with a water retaining agent. It didn't give a location for that to be done.
The Communist Party is trying to shore up sagging economic growth before a meeting in October or November in which the president is expected to seek a third five-year term as leader.
A smaller Chinese harvest could have an impact on the world. Adding to the pressure on inflation in the United States and Europe is the fact that demand for imports is increasing.
Thousands of factories in the province that make solar panels, processor chips and other industrial goods were waiting for word on whether the six-day shutdown would be extended.
There was no official confirmation of the document that said the closing would be extended through Thursday.
The economic agency and provincial government didn't answer their phones. The woman who answered the phone at the branch of State Grid said she didn't know anything about the extension. She wouldn't say what she was called.
Thousands of hectares of crops are a total loss and millions have been damaged, according to the governments of the two provinces.
Disaster aid would be released after the government declared a dry spell. There is a shortage of drinking water in the province.
80% of its power comes from hydroelectric dams. The province says the water levels are half of normal. It urged manufacturers to give power to the people.
The lights and air-conditioning were turned off. Thousands of lights were turned off by the subway in the provincial capital.
Other areas have had fatal flash floods.
State television reported Sunday that at least 26 people were killed and five were missing due to flooding in the northwest province of Qinghai.
According to news reports, six villages in Datong county were hit by mudslides. The people were forced to leave their homes.
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