Local authorities have been told that more efforts are needed to cope with the heat wave and drought in China's southern regions, a General Office of the State Council statement said Monday.

The central government has informed local provinces, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian, of work that needs to be done to cope with the intense heat.

The central government urged regions to ensure access to safe drinking water, and maintain that agricultural production and people's livelihoods are in order in drought-plagued regions.

High temperatures have been baking the country's southern regions since July, causing water shortages and problems with growing crops. Official data showed that nearly 4 million hectares of farmland have been affected by droughts as of Aug. 5, with 4.5 million people short of drinking water.

Meteorological authorities forecast the heat will last until the middle of August, with temperatures in some areas expected to hit 41 degrees Celsius.

The central government ordered local authorities to step up drought monitoring and increase the diversion of water. It also asked them to submit related work plans to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters before Aug. 7, according to the statement.