Nature gets a helping hand for rain in NW China

Missiles, loaded with a chemical that acts as a catalyst for rain, are installed on an aircraft at an airport in Yinchuan, the capital of Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region on July 28, 2011, before it takes off to conduct an artificial precipitation operation above the central and south parts of the region. Between July 27 and 28, the local meteorological departments launched 138 rocket missiles as part of 40 artificial precipitation operations to increase the rainfall and during this time the autonomous region welcomed rainfall over a large area. The series of operations will greatly alleviate the summer drought in the central and southern parts of the region.[Photo/Xinhua]