JINAN, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in east China's Shandong Province have allocated 90 million yuan (13 million U.S. dollars) in funds as the province sweats in the scorching heat.
The funds will be allocated to cities and counties in dire need of drinking water and will be used in building emergency water projects, according to the provincial department of finance.
Shandong issued an orange alert for high temperatures Thursday, saying that temperatures could rise to 37 degrees Celsius or higher in seven cities including Binzhou, Dongying, Dezhou, Liaocheng, Jinan, Zibo and Weifang.
Shandong has been plagued by the hot and dry weather since May. Data showed the province's average precipitation in May and June stood at 56 mm, nearly 60 percent less than previous years.
The water level of Baotu Spring, a famous scenic spot in Jinan, the provincial capital, has continued to fall below the warning mark.
