China sets aside 199 million yuan for weather modification programme

[SHANGHAI] China has allocated 199 million yuan (S$40 million) to spend on its weather modification programme as part of efforts to combat drought and reduce the impact of natural disasters, the finance ministry said on Thursday.

The Ministry of Finance said the additional funding had been made available in order to help China's regions respond to the large number of "extreme weather events" this year, including heavy flooding in south and central regions as well as drought in the northwest.

China currently uses weather modification technology - including cloud seeding - to induce rain during droughts, to reduce hail, and to clear the skies ahead of prestigious international events, including the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

China aims to use weather modification technologies to create more than 60 billion cubic metres of additional rain a year by 2020, it said in a document published at the beginning of last year.

REUTERS