WEATHER MODIFICATION

Reuters: Chinese Fight Over Rain Clouds

BEIJING (Reuters) - A storm is brewing in China as drought-plagued regions accuse each other of stealing clouds for rain-seeding.

With the help of modern technology, scientists can fire rockets filled with various substances into light, fluffy clouds to make them rain.

"But the practice has caused considerable controversy in recent days, with some saying that one area's success with rain has meant taking moisture meant for one place and giving it to another," the China Daily said on Wednesday.

The row over rainclouds was particularly heated in several cities in central Henan province.

"Meteorological officials in Zhoukou were soon accusing their counterparts in Pingdingshan of overusing available natural resources by intercepting clouds that would have likely drifted to other places, say, like Zhoukou," the newspaper said.

Much of China is short of water and cloud-seeding is common, especially over major cities.