Low rainfall and unseasonably high temperatures have left parts of north west China short of drinking water.
Over 300,000 people have been afflicted by the drought in Shaanxi province according to state news agency Xinhua and the drought is also having a severe effect on agriculture, hitting thousands of hectares or arable land and leading to rationing of water for some 60,000 animals.
Many parts of China are seeing record temperatures at the moment with parts of the north east and south west also experiencing drought conditions.
Official media sources are calling the drought the worst for five years.
Sam Bond