SHANGHAI, China (AP) - Central China has been hit by a severe drought that has dried up a major river, damaged crops and left 1.5 million people short of drinking water, state media said Thursday. Less than an inch of rain has fallen this month in Henan province, 90% below normal, Xinhua said. The region, a major grain-growing area, has been suffering long dry spells this year. Lack of water and a heat wave in Henan province have damaged 5.2 million acres of farmland, the Xinhua News Agency said. The Huai River, which flows through Henan and is China's third-largest, has run dry for the first time in 20 years.