A severe drought has been plaguing Guilin City in southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region this year, with autumn rainfalls at a record low since 1979. The persisting drought leaves only one tenth of the 83-kilometer long sight-seeing route on the scenic Lijiang River navigable. Some sections of the river have already dried up.

The riverbed is seen exposed at one section of the Lijiang River, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on December 11, 2007.

Tourist boats are forced to be docked at the wharf in Yangshuo, Guilin City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region due to low water level in the Lijiang River.

Stone elephants at a local park that were once submerged in the Lijiang River are seen stranded on the dried-up river-bed.

A tourist ponders over the little pool of water that is left of the section of the Lijiang River that runs through the urban area of Guilin City in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

(CRI December 12, 2007)