严重干旱烤干了中国中部地区

Many provinces in China seem unable to shake off a drought that's lasted several months. Rainfall fell by 50-percent in areas along the Huaihe River during the first four months of the year, and crops are now under severe threat.
中国许多城市似乎无法摆脱持续几个月的干旱天气。今年第一季度，淮河地区的降雨量就下降了50%，而且如今庄稼受到严重的威胁。

Provinces including Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Yunnan, and Sichuan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region are amongst the worst hit. CCTV reporter Matt Stuttard brings us more on the problems faced by central China's Hubei Province - and how residents there are coping.
湖北，湖南，江西，安徽，云南，四川和广西壮族自治区这些省份遭受最严重的干旱灾害。中央电视台记者Matt Stuttard让我们更关注中国中部湖北省所面临的问题，还有当地居民如何对待这个问题。

A dry river bed reveals the severity of this year's drought.
一个干旱的河床显示出今年干旱的严重程度。

Dying crops are not a rare sight in Hubei Province.
干瘪得奄奄一息的庄稼在湖北并不少见。

But facing the worst drought in 50 years, some residents are now having to dig wells for the first time.
但是面对这50年来最严重的干旱，一些居民现在不得不首次自己挖井。

How long does it take you to dig a well?
挖一口井要多久？

Several weeks.
几个星期。

How deep is the well?
这口井有多深？

More than 60 meters.
超过60米。

And people across the province are resorting to this method.
这个省的居民只能采取这个办法。

The sense of relief is obvious when water finally emerges.
当水最终流出时轻松的心情是非常明显的。

Local authorities are also pitching in, helping farmers install pumping equipment and anti-drought facilities in the worst-hit areas.
地方当局也加大投入，帮助灾情最严重地区的农民安装抽水设备和抗旱装置。

Hu Wenqi, Party Secretary of Qichun County, Hubei Province said "Digging wells can help ease a lot the damage caused by the drought, and it doesn't cost too much."
湖北省蕲春县党委书记Hu Wenqi说：“挖井减轻干旱带来的许多灾害，而且不用花费很多。”

So far, more than 80-million hectares of arable land have been affected.
到目前为止，超过8千万公顷可耕地已经受到影响。

And nearly 20-million hectares of crops are drying up.
而且接近2千万公顷庄稼干枯了。

In response, cloud seeding operations are being carried out in 16 cities and counties.
为了应对这种天气，16个城市和县实行人工降雨。

More than a million staff have been dispatched to help fight the drought.
已经派遣了超过100万工作人员对抗干旱。

Away from the fields, the dry weather is taking its toll on the Yangtze River.
除了田地，干旱天气也影响到长江流域。

Water levels have fallen substantially to as low as 10 meters, breaking a two decade record.
长江水位大幅度下降，低至10米，打破了20年来的记录。

Nearly fourteen-hundred reservoirs have also dropped below allowable discharge levels for irrigation and other uses.
接近4300个水库的水位也下降到低于允许灌溉和其他用途的排放水平。

China's meteorological authority says despite an approaching storm front, the dry weather and misery for residents is expected to continue for the time being.
中国气象局称尽管一场暴风雨即将到来，目前，干旱天气和给居民带来的不幸将持续下去。