This is the chaotic moment when hundreds of tourists fight to grab dinghies to find relief from sweltering temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius.

Video footage of the drama emerged on Chinese social media as holidaymakers tried to take to the water to get relief from the soaring mercury.

Desperate would-be boaters push and shove as they queue-jump to get their hands on dinghies almost before they are unloaded.

Numerous boats can be seen crowded together in a large pond waiting for the chance to move off down a fast-flowing river.

The video was shot at a rafting site in Pingdingshan city, in central Henan province.

Summers there are long, hot, humid and wet, and temperatures in the city have come close to 40 degrees Celsius lately, with July typically the hottest month of the year.

Netizens’ comments on the video were varied, with ‘Collie’ saying: “I’m definitely not going to this rafting!”

‘ss’ commented: “I thought it was flood relief.”

‘a small bamboo’ wrote: “The Normandy landings weren’t as crazy back then.”

And ’round and round’ asked: “Not wearing a mask?”