“China’s most severe floods in a decade are threatening to get worse as the landmark Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze river is close to overflowing, with its reservoir almost full.
The water level reached 158 metres on Saturday morning, just 17 metres from the reservoir’s maximum capacity, flood control headquarters in the central province of Hubei told The Associated Press.
Two typhoons – Conson and Chantu – and weeks of heavy rain have caused widespread flooding across several of China’s southern provinces, affecting 110 million people.
Weather conditions are likely to worsen further with China’s national weather centre issuing a warning on Saturday of more torrential rains for the region.
The floods have left 273 dead and 218 missing since July 1, Al Jazeera’s Melissa Chan, reporting down river from the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei province, said. The direct economic losses are estimated to be around $20bn, she said.”
Read More: Aljazeera
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