BEIJING, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- China's drought, its worst in five decades, is spreading to other areas, causing more drinking water shortages, reports the official Xinhua news agency.
The worst hit areas are Sichuan and Guizhou provinces in the southwest. Temperatures have remained in the upper 90s since the middle of last month, says the report.
The Chinese Ministry of Water Resources says in the past two months, the drought has left at least 18 million people short of drinking water in 15 provinces, municipalities and regions.
"The severe drought will not ease up and is very likely to get worse," the ministry said.
Xinhua said the drought has affected nearly 22 million acres of cropland and water levels in several reservoirs and rivers has reached record lows.
