China's top meteorological authority on Monday said a prolonged drought is to continue during the coming week throughout the country's southern regions along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

These regions will mostly see hot and dry weather during the coming week, the China Meteorological Administration warned, adding local departments will activate seed-clouding when weather conditions are fit.

Data indicated that rainfall in these regions is 30 to 80 percent less compared to levels in normal years, while the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Shanghai continue suffering from the worst drought since 1954.

Further, water levels in the major flows of the Yangtze, China's longest river, are 25 to 70 percent less compared to normal years.

On Saturday, provinces including Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi conducted more than 300 seed-clouding procedures in an effort to create rain.

Also, the Chinese central government sent special work teams to Hunan and Hubei on Monday to help with drought relief.

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2011)