Published by: THE WORLD UYGHUR NETWORK NEWS, May 9, 1997

Beijing Xinhua, 05/06/97

Urumqi, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous

Region has been suffering from severe drought over the past month.

Over 133,000 ha. of farmland in four prefectures have been badly

affected by the drought as the water-level in local rivers and

reservoirs have kept on decreasing.

Local governments have sent nearly 300,000 people to battle against the

drought and some 22.74 million yuan of government funds has been spent

combatting the drought.

The local temperature reached its record high for April as the average

temperature of the month was six degrees Centigrade higher than the

normal. Since April 28, temperatures have remained above 30 degrees

Centigrade in the day-time. On April 29, it was 32 degrees

Centigrade. Many Urumqi residents say that it seems as though spring

had been lost this year.

Local weather departments say that the current high temperatures will

not leave for sometime.