Zhang Xiaodong, the water park manager, said: "This summer is a little bit tough for the kids. By using ice, we hope to attract more children and families."

According to the local water resources bureau, as of Monday, some areas in 33 districts and counties in Chongqing were experiencing different degrees of drought. To date, 51 rivers in the city have stopped flowing and 24 reservoirs have dried up.

The authorities in Chongqing issued another red alert, the highest level on the national four-level warning system, for risk of forest fires in most of the city's districts and counties. The seven-day warning took effect on Tuesday.

On Aug 11 and Monday, the city's Dadukou and Shapingba districts banned everyone, except for those living on mountains, from entering forests within the districts' mountain ranges from Monday until Aug 31. During the ban, the use of fire, or performing any activity likely to cause fire, is strictly prohibited.

Two forest parks on the Gele Mountains in Shapingba were temporarily closed.

Recently, dozens of staff members from Jiangbei Forestry Bureau patrolled more than 20 kilometers on foot for 12 hours in extreme heat in Tieshanping forest, Jiangbei district.