Heavy rains push riverwater in NE China above warning mark

SHENYANG/HARBIN -- The typhoon-induced heavy rains have pushed the water level of dozens of rivers in northeast China's provinces of Liaoning and Heilongjiang above the warning mark, local authorities said Saturday.

At 6 a.m. Saturday, the water level in the main stream of the Liaohe River in Liaoning, one of the country's largest rivers, exceeded the warning mark by 33 cm, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

From 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, torrential rains lashed the central and eastern parts of Liaoning.

The total storage capacity of 37 large reservoirs in Liaoning witnessed an increase of over 3.66 billion cubic meters compared with the same period in previous years.

Six reservoirs in the province have exceeded flood limits and are discharging water.

Eight cities and 45 county-level regions in Liaoning have launched emergency response for flood control, among which the cities of Fushun and Dandong have activated a Level-III emergency response. China has a four-tier flood-control emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe.

The Liaoning Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism has canceled the trips of 117 tour groups in the cities of Jinzhou, Yingkou and Panjin from Tuesday to Friday.

The Liaoning Provincial Department of Water Resources is closely monitoring the rivers, including the main stream of the Liaohe River, and reservoirs in the rain-affected area. The authorities are conducting an analysis of their rainstorm-resistance capacity to provide valuable assistance in flood control and disaster reduction efforts.

In addition, a total of 371 personnel have been mobilized, resulting in the successful rescue of 29 local residents.

According to the Heilongjiang Provincial Hydrology and Water Resources Center, as of 8 a.m. Saturday, the water level of 25 rivers in the province had exceeded the warning mark by 6 cm to 3.4 meters, of which five exceeded the guaranteed water level.

Four large, seven medium and 35 small reservoirs in Heilongjiang had operated above the flood limit of 4 cm to 4.84 meters as of 8:40 a.m. Saturday, the center said.