River in spate as heavy rains lash NW China province
2020-08-18 12:48:00

A rescuer drives a bulldozer to clear debris on the Wuguan section of the Lanzhou-Haikou Expressway in northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 17, 2020. Week-long torrential rains in Gansu Province have led to a tributary of Yangtze River flowing above danger-level as local authorities battle various rain-triggered disasters including mountain torrents, landslides and mudflows. By Monday, rains damaged 3,303 km of roads in the city of Longnan, disrupting traffic on 497 roads. More than 38,000 people have been relocated in Longnan. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

LANZHOU, Aug. 17  -- Week-long torrential rains in northwest China's Gansu Province have led to a tributary of Yangtze River flowing above danger-level as local authorities battle various rain-triggered disasters including mountain torrents, landslides and mudflows.

Baishui River, which flows into Bailong that joins China's longest river Yangtze is experiencing the most severe flooding in 200 years.

The flood crest measured 2,250 cubic meters per second at Shangde Hydrological Station on Baishui River at 5 p.m. Monday.

The Gansu provincial water resources department said that the water level of Bikou Reservoir in the river basin once exceeded 702 meters, seven meters above the flood limit. The reservoir has kept discharging water.

On Monday, the flow into Bikou Reservoir still exceeded 4,000 cubic meters per second, while the reservoir discharged water at 3,500 cubic meters per second, as it continued relieving the flooding pressure downstream.

Heavy rains have affected 402,000 people in six cities in Gansu and led to damages to water conservation facilities with direct economic losses of 1.55 billion yuan (223.4 million U.S. dollars).

By Monday, rains damaged 3,303 km of roads in the city of Longnan, disrupting traffic on 497 roads.

Municipal authorities have dispatched 22,000 rescuers and 2,720 sets of machinery to rebuild 291 damaged roads.

Source: Xinhua Editor: Hiram