Water supplies for medical use in Guangxi are also at risk. Water needed for surgery and sterilization at the Napo County People's Hospital is running short.

 

Doctors at the hospital say they currently have 154 patients, but they can only offer them one bucket of water each per day.

A patient said, "We use the limited water to wash our faces in the morning, then keep it to wash hands the whole day. Finally it is used in the washroom. The only exceptions are new born babies. They are allocated half a bucket of water extra to wash their diapers."

Nurses say the hospital is now looking to use disposable bed sheets, quilt covers and pillowcases.

They also add that large stocks of antiseptic liquid stocked in the hospital have helped compensate for the lack of water. It can be sprayed on the hands of medical staff before they check patients.

Meanwhile, more than 11 thousand bottles of water have arrived in Napo county. They will be immediately distributed to areas in urgent need.