Anthony
(2) Forest Fires Scorch 32,000 Acres in Inner Mongolia
[CND, 05/19/98] AFP reported from Beijing on Tuesday that 32,000 acres
(13,000 hectares) of tinder-dry Inner Mongolian forests are either burning
or already destroyed by fires triggered by lightning strikes. The fires,
preceded by two weeks of unusually hot and dry weather, began in Xingan
county on May 13, and were carried by high winds to Hulun Buir county by
May 15. So far, there have been no reported casualties. Officials anticipate
that the fires will be under control by late Wednesday. (Sue BRUELL, YIN
De An)
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(3) Beijing and North China Face Severe Water Shortage
[CND, 05/21/98] According to AFP, the Chinese official English-language
newspaper China Daily on Wednesday reported alarming water shortage
problems at Beijing and the entire northern China. At the capital city,
ground-water table fell 5.5 metres (18.2 feet) during 1981-1996, and
another 1.6 metres (5.3 feet) in 1997 alone. Ground level in the city is
also sinking at a rate of 10-20 millimetres (0.4-0.8 inches) annually since
1996 due to ground-water extraction.
In northern China, average water resources per capita amount to just 10
percent of the world average. With fast-growing water demands for farming,
industry and personal use into the 21st century, available supplies are
far outstripped. Prolonged over-extraction and extensive pollution in the
region further deplete water availability, making water shortage a severe
problem for the country. (Weihe GUAN, YIN De An)