The Chinese Government has earmarked 50 million yuan ($7.35 million) of emergency funding to help south China fight its worst drought in 50 years, the Ministry of Finance said on January 29.

The money will go to southwestern Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to restore agricultural production and to ensure that people and livestock have an adequate supply of drinking water, the ministry said.

The drought has affected 2.9 million people, 1.5 million livestock and 58 percent of crops, or 1.42 million hectares, in Yunnan.

In Guangxi, more than 80,000 people in Donglan County have suffered from a water shortage, local authorities said.