China provinces hit by drought

The authorities in China have said some parts of the country are facing their worst drought in a decade.

The Chinese state media reported that more than 1 million people were short of drinking water in the eastern province of Zhejiang, where the dry spell has persisted for nearly a month.

About 200,000 hectares of crops have also been damaged.

In the central province of Hunan, water shortages have also worsened.

On Tuesday, officials in the southern province of Guangdong issued a high-temperature warning for the first time, urging people to take measures to prevent heat-stroke.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service