Unusual high temperatures, with no rainfall, resulting in a prolonged drought affecting large areas of china. This has led to reduction in crop yields and drinking water supplies, AP reported. (AP)

Amid this China is saying that it will try to protect its grain harvest from record-setting drought by using chemicals to generate rain. (AP)

The country is experiencing the hottest, driest summer since the government began recording rainfall and temperature 61 years ago. This has wilted crops and left reservoirs at half their normal water level. (AP)

Factories in Sichuan province were shut down last week to save power for homes as air conditioning demand surged, with temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP)

The lack of rainfall has hit the southwestern megacity of Chongqing, which encompasses a large area of mountains and rivers. Here, fire trucks were delivering water to outlying villages for drinking and irrigating crops. (AP)

The Chongqing drought has affected more than 600,000 people and 36,700 hectares (90,690 acres) of crops, according to the Xinhua News Agency. (AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a worker stands on top of a truck distributing water to residents with a banner which reads "Luoping Drought Relief water truck" in Luoping village of Wushan County in southwestern China's Chongqing. AP

Chinese authorities have issued warnings of temperatures exceeding 40 Celsius. This comes after many parts of China have broken records for high temperatures this year. (AP)

River ferries in Chongqing that usually are packed with sightseers were empty and tied to piers beside mudflats that stretched as much as 50 meters (50 yards) from the normal shoreline to the depleted river’s edge. (AP)