Vaigai river which flows through the town of Theni, Andipetti, Madurai dried due to the intense heat wave in the region.
Water canals inside the river from where people used to take drinking water have also become empty. This has rendered the washermen workless.
The region has been facing severe drought due to lack of monsoon rains in the last four years.
A few days ago, it was reported that capital Chennai was facing a severe water crisis.
Several parts of the country have been gripped by a severe heat wave although the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the severity of the heat wave is likely to decrease from Sunday onwards.