NTDTV

China's Massive Dam Faces Major Flood Control Test Flooding continues to be a major problem for southern China today. And now, the massive Three Gorges dam is being pushed to the limit, as water levels continue to rise. Here's more. China's enormous Three Gorges dam is facing the test of flood control, as torrential rains swell the rivers that feed it. Much of China has been suffering flooding and landslides after weeks of torrential downpours. The rains have killed at least 146 people and left another 40 missing. Engineers have raised the rate at which water is being sent out of the reservoir to make room for new waves of floodwaters expected this week. [Wei Shanzhong, Yangtze River Flood Control Admin.]: "The rain in the gorge area will immediately affect the water flow, increasing to around 70000 cubic meters (per second). The level of this flood will be higher than the historic floods of 1954 and 1998." State-run media showed pictures of drained locks, closing passage up the reservoir for ships destined for southwestern hub of Chongqing. The locks close if the water comes faster than 11 million gallons per second. Even if the dam succeeds in its role of holding back deadly floodwaters there may still be problems downstream where continuous rains have also weakened dikes. From: NTDTV Views: 29850 12 ratings Time: 01:22 More in News & Politics