Freighters ply in Yangtze on Thursday at Jiujiang, East China’s Jiangxi province. High temperatures and low rainfall in the Yangtze basin have reduced water flows this flood season. Photo: VCG

A man fishes in the Yangtze at Jiujiang. Since July, the amount of rainfall has fallen by 40% compared with last year, and high temperature days along the basin have exceeded 15 days, according to the Ministry of Water Resources. Photo: VCG

The riverbed at the intersection of the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake on Thursday. Records show the water levels of both bodies of water are more than 4.7 meters lower than last year. Photo: VCG

The lower water level has drained the tidal flats of Nanjing, East China’s Jiangsu province, as seen on Saturday. Photo: VCG

A worker digs a ditch on the tidal flats in Nanjing. Photo: VCG

The water level of the Yangtze River’s Nanjing section fell to 3.92 meters on Aug. 9. Photo: Yang Bo/China News Service, VCG

Residents cool off on the exposed riverbed in Yichang, Central China’s Hubei province. In late July, the water level of the Yangtze River’s Yichang section fell to 42.61 meters, the lowest level in the summer since 1890. Photo: VCG

The Yangtze’s water level in Hankou, Central China’s Hubei province, fell to 18.5 meters at the start of August, the lowest for the season according to records going back to 1860. Photo: VCG