In the northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 118,000 people and 440,000 head of cattle are suffering water shortages, the local water resources bureau said Thursday.
The neighboring Gansu Province created artificial snow Tuesday and Wednesday in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to help keep the pastures alive.
The snow, however, would do little to ease the drought long term, said Wang Jianbing, a weatherman in Gannan, one of the most arid areas in Gansu Province.
The local climate center has warned the drought would worsen as temperatures climb during spring.
