The severe drought since Junein north China's Hebei province is continuing, according to the local water conservancy department.

Statistics show some 1.33 million hectares of farmland have been affected, and 810,000 people are still short of drinking water.

The province has received just two-thirds of its normal rainfall since June, with the July figure below half. Some cities in the north of the province are severely affected.

In the city of Chengde, many rural reservoirs had dried up, and some farmers had to go to other villages to fetch drinking water, said Lan Delong, deputy head of the local water conservancy bureau.

Meanwhile the drought had killed about 310,000 trees and 400 hectares of forest in the city of Tangshan, sources disclosed.

The province is now taking active steps to combat the drought, which include digging new wells, dispatching water tankers to residents in affected areas, and producing artificial rain.

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2002)