China's longest river, the Yangtze, is suffering from a severe drought, with the lowest level of rainfall in five decades.
The Spring drought is affecting Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei provinces in the middle and lower reaches of the river, with on average 40-60 percent less rainfall. The affected area covers nearly 3 million hectares.
Recent rainfall has watered crops and improved the situation in reservoirs, but hasn't brought much overall relief. China's weather authority says the drought is set to continue during the coming week throughout the southern regions.