The water in Dongting Lake, the country's second largest freshwater lake in central-southern Hunan Province, reached the alert level on Friday morning due to continuous heavy rainfall.

By eight a.m. Friday, the water level in the lake had surged to its warning line of 32 meters, said local flood control authorities.

The lake area is expected to have showers or torrential rains in the next few days, according to meteorological data.

Meanwhile, according to local hydrologists, the water level of the Yangtze River, China's longest river, is also climbing, accelerating the rise of the Dongting Lake water level.

They estimated that the water level in Dongting Lake, one of the leading tributaries of the Yangtze in its middle reaches, is expected to reach the danger line by Sunday.

(Xinhua News Agency July 11, 2003)