A persistent, severe drought over the past months has stunted rice crop, dried up reservoirs and caused water shortage to 2.47 million people in southern China's provinces.

Until Nov.5, the drought had affected 18.83 million mu (1.26 million hectares) of farmland in provinces of Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Fujian, Hubei and Jiangsu and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, according to a statement on the web site of the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Wednesday.

About 3.37 million mu of farmland suffered grave drought and 610,000 head of livestock lacked adequate drinking water, said the statement.

China's drought relief office has called for immediate and intensified efforts to fight drought in the provinces.