BEIJING, Aug 16 -- A power cut has cut off the water supply in Huaihua, a city in Central China's Hunan Province, leaving about 150,000 people without it in their homes.

    They have to resort to the bottled variety instead, and there are also reports of people bathing in rivers.

    The local government said the cause was an equipment failure at the No 2 Running Water Company of Huaihua, the city's largest running water supplier, on Sunday morning.

    Repairs were expected to last until last night, said Ouyang Jianguo, an official in charge of the city's water supply, yesterday.

    Though the city began using another water supplier, the No 1 Running Water Company, on Monday afternoon, Ouyang said its capacity was only half that of the original system.

    "Thousands of people living in high-rise blocks are still very thirsty and have to buy bottled water," he said.

    The water supply was due to be back to normal by 8:00 am today.

    So said Zhang Wenxiong, a top official in Huaihua, which has 350,000 permanent residents in the city proper.

    About 200,000 people have not been affected by the cut because 41 local companies and institutions have their own water supply.

    "These organizations have been ordered to provide water to citizens free of charge," said Zhang.

    The fire department has sent fire engines to supply water to hospitals, hotels and some communities.

    But the power cut has still caused much inconvenience as the daytime temperature has hovered around 38 C in the last three days.

    "My husband had to bathe himself in a river," complained a citizen in downtown Sanjiaoping Street, who gave her family name as Li.

    Li and her daughter are staying in a hotel that has running water, supplied by the railway authorities. "It costs a lot but we've got no other choice."

    "The local government should do something to improve infrastructure and tackle such crises more effectively," she added.

    Some water sellers have doubled the price of bottled mineral water, she said.

    "Fortunately the big department stores and supermarkets have been told not to raise prices."