The total area affected by the continuing drought has now been reduced to below 2 million mu (about 133,333 hectares) in Pingdingshan, central China's Henan province, local newspaper Pingdingshan Daily reported.

As of yesterday, the drought-affected area had been reduced to about 127,138 hectares due to two recent bouts of precipitation and irrigation efforts. About 186,160 hectares have now been irrigated in Pingdingshan.

The figures were released by the Office of Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. Of the affected 127,138 hectares area, 53,120 hectares have been seriously affected.

The government has mobilized 58,700 people to combat drought, allocating 73.081 million yuan ($11.097 million) to the campaign.

The city-level Water Resources Bureau is attempting to minimize losses from the drought. Officials have been sent to supervise the anti-drought efforts at the county-level.