BEIJING — China has earmarked 80 million yuan (about $12.23 million) worth of drought relief funds to seven provincial-level regions in East and South China, the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) said on March 29.

Allocated by the MEM and the Ministry of Finance, the funds will help mitigate the effects of drought and safeguard the domestic water supply in the provinces of Yunnan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangdong, as well as Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the MEM said.

The drought was caused by the recent low precipitation in these areas, said the MEM, adding that it has cooperated with water conservancy and agriculture authorities to monitor the situations and tailor relief solutions.

The MEM and the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters have dispatched two work teams to Yunnan and Zhejiang to assist drought relief work.