Every day, Zhu Chunquan walks 16 kilometers through the mountains of Southwest China to fetch water for his family.
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His village, Ziniu, in Yunnan province, has not seen a drop of rain since February.
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"No one knows when the drought will end," the 48-year-old farmer said, as he looked at the dry soil.
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Apart from the sale of dry apricots from his 1 hectare orchard, he has made no money this year. Some of his neighbors have gone to Kunming, the provincial capital, to find temporary work.
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The drought that has crippled southwestern regions since last year has shown little sign of abating, affecting the water supplies of millions of people.
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According to the China Meteorological Administration, no rainfall is expected in parched areas, including Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, for at least nine days.
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Li Xiaoquan, a meteorologist for the administration, said the drought may ease when the rainy season begins in May.
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This is the fourth year Yunnan has suffered a severe drought, said Kong Chuizhu, vice-chairman of the standing committee of the Yunnan people’s congress, and the problem is expected to continue.
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Climate models show rainfall patterns are changing, and the National Climate Center predicts a possible decrease in precipitation in the south over the next 20 years.