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Yangtze River drought costs China billions

Drought and flooding in the vast Yangtze River valley cost China more than 18 billion yuan (US$2.3 billion) in economic losses last year, reported the Shanghai Daily on Tuesday.
Serious and prolonged drought in areas along the upper reaches of the Yangtze in west China affected 19 million residents and 17 million head of livestock, said Cai Qihua, director of the Yangtze River Water Resources Committee.

The country lost 22 million tonnes of grain in the region because of soaring temperatures and sustained drought, Cai said.