Drought hits Songhua River

Dead freshwater mussels lie on the riverbed of the downtown section of Songhua River in Harbin. Water levels in the river fell to 113.64 meters on May 19, reaching the lowest level recorded over the past 11 years. The low water level has resulted in the deaths of many aquatic organisms in the river, such as freshwater mussels and river snails, as well as the stranding of boats. [Photo/Chinanews.com.cn]

A farmer draws water from Songhua River to irrigate his farmland on May 21. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A man walks past the exposed riverbed of Songhua River. Low water levels have recently led to drought conditions. [Photo/Chinanews.com]