LHASA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region Tuesday began to use artificial means to boost precipitation as severe drought lingers for a month, local meteorological bureau said.

Since June, many areas in Tibet have seen a record high temperature and the drought has hampered crop yield and livestock husbandry, the bureau said in a statement.

Meteorological data showed the average rainfall in Tibet last month was 30.5 mm, 57 percent down over the previous years.

Rainfall is expected to hit Tibet on Wednesday and Thursday, and cloud seeding was used to intensify the rain, with 31 rain-inducing rockets shot into the clouds.

Experts predict that the major agricultural regions along the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet will see significant rainfall in the following days, which will relieve the drought.