The World Food Organization says several provinces in western and northern China are facing food shortages because of a long drought.
The FAO said Monday that it estimates five million hectares of winter crops were lost because of the lack of rain in provinces such as Yunnan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Hebei.
The organization said more than 60 percent of winter wheat crops were lost in the worst-hit districts. It also said the affected areas are among China's poorest regions, with more than half the rural population living under the poverty line with limited access to food.
The FAO says the drought has a particularly serious impact on mountain areas, where there are few alternative sources of income.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP.
