As the water level in the mainstream of Huaihe River in east
China drops gradually, levels are also receding in two flood
diversion areas.
Chengdong Lake in Anhui Province opened its sluice gate at 6:20
p.m. Friday to let water back into the Huaihe River. At a rate of
flow of 300 cubic meters per second, 13 million cubic meters of
water had gone back into the Huaihe River by 8:00 a.m. Saturday,
according to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief
Headquarters.
Starting from June 16, the Mengwa flood diversion area in Anhui
Province had let 215 million cubic meters back into the Huaihe
River by 8:00 a.m. Saturday, with 340 million cubic meters still
remaining.
Some 1.35 million people are keeping watch along the Huaihe
River and Hongze Lake, including 816,000 in Anhui Province and
529,000 in neighboring Jiangsu Province.
Dangerous situations have developed in 1,842 separate spots on
the Huaihe River and flood diversion areas, but all have been
brought under contr ol.
No significant hazards have occurred on the major embankments of
the mainstream of the Huaihe River.
(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2003)
