Three artificial rainfalls on Monday and Tuesday in east China's Zhejiang Province with airplanes have helped ease local drought and lower high temperatures.

This was the first time since 1994 that the province resorted to artificial precipitation by aircraft.

With two operations on Tuesday, abundant rain fell on the province, with the strongest measuring 103 mm in Wencheng, 86 mm in Yongjia and 61 mm in Yuhuan.

Tropical storm Morakot moved towards the Taiwan Straits Monday morning, paving the way for the successful artificial rainfall operations.

The province is closely supervising cloud changes to find more chances for artificial precipitation.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2003)