For the past many years, people in Ayun Commune, Chu Se District, Gia Lai Province have had to suffer this hardship whenever the dry season comes.

While the Ayun Ha lake is always full of water during the rainy season, it is completely empty in the dry season, with boats stuck on the surface.

Local people have to suffer both the baking heat and the severe water shortage.

They have to walk many kilometers on tough roads and under scorching sunlight to be able to reach the very few lakes or ponds left.

And with simple containers such as plastic cups, they pour the muddy water, contaminated with sand and sediment, into the old plastic bottles to bring home.

They will then have to wait until the sediment settles to the bottom of the bottles to use the water.

As the forest has been severely destroyed, the living environment of local residents just cannot be tougher.

Below are a series of photos by Ho Anh Tien showing how people in the area face the drought.

These photos were one of the entries to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper's year-long competition themed “Vietnam – Country – People" concluding in October last year.

The forest that has been completely destroyed by humans

A man struggles to get muddy water from a hole.

This little girl tries to bring water home to help her parents, despite having a cold.

People pour water into different bottles.

As they all face the same hardship, local residents share with each other even the muddy water.

This mom has to carry both her daughter and water on the long way home.

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