Water channels in Dongting Lake in Junshan district, Yueyang in Central China’s Hunan province, dried up on Sunday. Since July, China’s second-largest freshwater lake has shrunk dramatically due to a combination of extreme heat and low rainfall. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

Monitoring data from the National Satellite Meteorological Center shows that the water area of Dongting Lake was about 546 square kilometers on Aug. 21, a decrease of about 62% compared with August 10 years ago. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

The drought has turned part of Dongting Lake into grassland. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

A farmer shells a dried bean pod Sunday in Junshan district’s Tuanjie village in Yueyang. The drought has devastated more than 310,000 hectares of crops in Hunan province since July, according to Hunan Daily. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

A famer inspects withered soybeans in Tuanjie village. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

Corn leaves wither due to drought in Huangnigang village, Junshan district. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

Villagers in Huangnigang village replace a water pump used to irrigate crops. To fight against the drought, they have to keep the pump running 24 hours a day to ensure their farms receive enough water. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

A fishing cage is exposed in a dried up water channel in Junshan district. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

Birds are foraging near the dried-up bed of Dongting Lake. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

A man rides his motorcycle on the lakebed. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

The water level at Dongting Lake’s Chenglingji hydrological station fell to 21.75 meters at 8 a.m. Monday, the lowest record for August in 50 years. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

The sediment-rich water of Dongting Lake runs into the Yangtze River on Monday in Yueyang. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin