China: Three Gorges Dam flood alert

In China, the Three Gorges Dam is expecting its toughest test.

Flood waters are at a nine-year record high at the world’s largest hydropower project.

Waterflow is expected at 70,000 cubic metres per second.

Shipping along the Yangtze river was stopped on Monday. Around 700 vessels are lying in anchor.

Thirty-six thousand people are being kept on flood alert. Level 3 emergency response procedures have been launched in Hubei and Hu’nan provinces.

In Hong Kong, residents were being thrashed by winds of up to 140 kilometres per hour. Typhoon Vicente hit the island on Monday night, grounding flights and temporarily closing the stock exchange. Reports claim over 100 people have been injured.

The typhoon has begun to move towards Guangdong on the Chinese mainland. Authorities have raised an orange alert, the second highest in the four-tier warning system.

Over 33,000 fishing boats have been urged to return to shore and many of the fishermen have taken refuge in Guangdong.

Winds in the area are expected to reach a punishing 100 kilometres per hour.

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