Chongqing to seed clouds against drought   

重庆17区县出现旱情 官方启动人工增雨

重庆市气象局19日称，重庆遭遇春旱的区县已由上周的12个增至17个。旱区短期内无有效降雨，当地计划人工增雨缓解旱情。

Chongqing (CNS) -- The Chongqing government plans to carry out artificial precipitation to relieve drought in the region, according to the Chongqing Municipal Meteorological Bureau on Tuesday.

The number of districts and counties affected by drought in the municipality jumped from 12 to 17 this week.

Since the beginning of this year, average precipitation in Chongqing has only been 33.7 mm, 40 percent less than in previous years, according to statistics from the municipal climate center.

The 17 districts and counties include Rongchang, Dazu, Wuxi and Liangping. Rongchang county is the worst hit, with 10,700 mu (1,763 acres) of farmland affected by severe drought, the county's water conservancy department said.

The city has readied 138 anti-aircraft guns and 75 cloud-seeding rockets to carry out artificial precipitation when the weather conditions are suitable, the center said.