China is confronted with the threat of big floods along the Yangtze
River in the upcoming summer flood season, experts said.
The conclusion is based on the high possibility of massive rainfall
in the Yangtze's middle and lower reaches during the impending
flood season, mainly due to the influence of El Nino, China Daily
reports Saturday.
Government officials in provinces along the river must be on the
alert from now on, the paper quoted Luo Qingquan, chief commander
of the Yangtze River Flood-Control Headquarters as saying.
"We must prepare for possible deluges. We must consider the
situation as seriously as many precautions as possible," Luo
said.
Until the Three Gorges dam project is completed, provinces along
the river are mainly relying on reinforced embankments, reservoirs
and floodwater storage areas to control flooding.
Currently, the alert line for the once-breached Jiujiang section of
the Yangtze River embankment has been raised ahead of the upcoming
flood season due to the improved flood-control capability. The
water level of the 196-km section of the Yangtze River embankment
was increased by half a meter to 20 meters at three major water
level monitoring stations.
(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2003)