In China, 5,700 residents were relocated after waters breached a dike at the second-largest freshwater lake in the south of the country, while rescue workers rushed to contain further damage from outflows, state media said on Saturday.
More than 2,300 rescue personnel were working to build a second line of defence for floodwaters after Friday’s breach across a 226-metre (740-foot) area in Hunan province, China Central Television reported.
No one had been harmed as of early Saturday, reports said.
Footage from state media showed a wave of water surging through a breach in the dike past several overturned lorries, into pools engulfing several houses.
Heavy rainfall pounded parts Hunan province earlier this week, causing the Miluo River in Pingjiang county to swell to its highest in 70 years.
Local authorities responded by activating the maximum emergency response level. State media showed large parts of towns waterlogged and stranded people being rescued on boats.
Water levels at Poyang Lake in Jiangxi province were also being closely watched, China’s Ministry of Water Resource said on Tuesday.
The China Meteorological Administration had only a few days ago, warned of a complex flood control situation in many parts of the country from July onwards. It warned of heavy precipitation in central and southwest China triggering flash floods, mudslides, and landslides.
It warned of severe flood conditions in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and many other rivers.
Add to that, one or two typhoons are expected to land or affect China’s coastal regions this month. Relevant government departments have been advised to make emergency plans to guard against heavy rainfall and flooding, also high winds and storm disasters.
The public has been suitably advised through messages on radio, television and of course social media, about precautions to take in the event of a natural disaster.
