For more news visit ☛ http://english.ntdtv.com<br />Follow us on Twitter ☛ http://twitter.com/NTDTelevision<br />Add us on Facebook ☛ http://facebook.com/NTDTelevision<br /><br />Drought in central and eastern China has stranded over 1,300 boats on the Grand Canal. It's also causing a shortage of drinking water for people and livestock.<br /><br />The ongoing drought in China has left over 1,300 boats stranded in the Grand Canal of China's Shandong Province.<br />Reports on Tuesday say local authorities are cloud seeding in an attempt to force rainfall.<br /><br />The lowest rainfall since 1961 has plagued central and eastern China for months, drying up many rivers and hindering traffic on the canals.<br /><br />Due to low water levels, canal and cargo boats are seen at their moorings in the Zaozhuang section of the Grand Canal, which links Beijing to Hangzhou.<br /><br />[Unidentified Cargo Boat Owner]:<br />"We have been stranded here for six days. Our boat is carrying sand."<br /><br />As water levels dropped, only 300 boats a day are allowed to pass through the Zaozhuang canal section.<br />Vessels weighing more than 1,500 tons have been turned away.<br /><br />A survey by the Hubei Agricultural Department shows the five-month drought has left over 300,000 people and nearly 100,000 head of livestock in the province short of drinking water.
