China's Yellow River has burst its banks in three places in central Henan province and floods further east threaten 86,000 villagers -- some already stranded on rooftops and higher ground, Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday.

The inner dikes in Lankao county of Henan "are no longer able to hold up the floodwater," said Liu Xueshan, deputy head of Dongming county in Shandong. 

He said flooding was affecting low-lying areas of Shandong province to the east.

"Three slits along the river, one 200 meters (220 yards) long and two others 100 meters (110 yards) long, are gushing and spurting out water to inundate plain areas, endangering the life of over 86,000 locals in 127 villages and submerging 10,800 hectares (26,700 acres) of cropland," Liu said.

The only three roads leading out of the area had been cut off by flood waters, making evacuation efforts difficult.

"Of all the people under siege, only 5,593 have been transferred, mostly the elderly, sick and handicapped and children," said the Xinhua report. "Those who have relatives to turn to have been moved to nearby counties by boat and the remaining are staying on higher grounds or terraces, and even on rooftops."

Flooding of a tributary of the Yellow River in the usually drought-prone western province of Shaanxi killed dozens last month, with more than 200,000 people made homeless.

Flooding across China killed 676 people in the first seven months on the year, according to official figures.

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