Falling water levels in China's Yangtze River have left 1 million people short of drinking water. A severe drought has caused the water level in China's longest river to plunge over the last two weeks, severely cutting water-pumping capacity. Water levels in the Yangtze and Jialing rivers have declined sharply because of a lack of rainfall, which followed a severe drought last summer. The problem is expected to continue until the rainy season begins in May. "If the water levels in the Yangtze and its upper tributary Jialing River continue to decline, we'll face a real crisis." Last summer's drought in the southwest was the worst in 50 years, causing more than $1.1 billion in economic losses.
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and third longest in the world.