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| Huaihe River valley remains under threat |
| CCTV.COM 2003-07-12 09:07:46 |
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 The water level in the trunk stream of the Huaihe River in East China is still rising. To reduce the danger of any accidental breach in the middle and lower stream, several water flow control stations have opened their sluices to divert the water.
The Huaihe River remains the toughest of China's major rivers to control.
The State Headquarters for Flood Control has decided to open the 13－channel sluice in Wangjiaba, the key control station in the upper and middle stream. Though the water level here is still below the danger point, this is to prevent a last－minute rush downstream where the flow is much slower and a breach is likely to occur.
Yang Wenjiu, Deputy Head of Funan County, Anhui Province, said, "The flood control system is facing severe pressure in both the upper and down stream. We think opening the sluice here is good for adjusting the water level along the entire river."
Early Friday afternoon, the water level at Qiujiahu, a control station in the upper stream, reached the highest since 1949. At 1pm, the water in the Huaihe River, about 10 meters higher than in the diversion area, began to flush the flood diversion area.
Though part of the water from the upper stream has been discharged in the upper and middle stream, continuous rainfall is raising the water level in Hongze Lake at the down stream of Huaihe. Experts calculate the lake will soon receive another 19 billion cubic meters of water.
With the situation in the Huaihe Valley still grave, the flood season for other major rivers is now approaching. Weather patterns indicate more frequent heavy rainfall in these areas in late July and early August.
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Editor: Hou Meihong CCTV.com
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