Chongqing on high alert for flooding

To ensure safety, the Chongqing Maritime Safety Administration has banned all vessels since Monday from waters between Shipan, 824 kilometers upriver on the Yangtze, and Guanyintan, 488 km upriver, as well as from Huanghuayuan Bridge to Chaotianmen Port.

It was estimated that the highest water level at the Beibei No 3 station of the Jialing in Beibei district would exceed safe water levels by up to 1 meter on Wednesday, with the maximum water level at Ciqikou station in Shapingba district exceeding safe levels by 7.5 to 8.5 meters by noon.

The current outflow of Three Gorges reservoir has increased from 42,000 to 46,000 cubic meters per second, and the outflow of Xiangjiaba Dam has decreased from 6,300 to 4,000 cubic meters per second to relieve flood pressure in Chongqing.

The flood's peak was expected to pass the main area of Chongqing early on Wednesday morning.