Reservoirs have little in reserve

Recent rainfall not sufficient to satiate increasing demand

BEIJING - Nearly 1,600 water reservoirs in Central China's Hubei province are running at the minimum water level needed for operation, forecasting a prolonged dry spell over the parched province, the local drought relief authority said on Monday.

As of Sunday, the province's reservoir water storage stood at 9.75 billion cubic meters, a 40-percent decrease from last year. The low water level makes it unlikely the drought can be eased, with two earlier rounds of rainfall but no more forecast in May, the statement said.