Chinese government experts fear that "massive flooding" could hit central areas along the Yangtze river in the next few weeks, state media reported on Thursday, as authorities said floods had already left some 600 dead and 200 missing this year, according to dpa. The continuation of the heavy rain battering much of southern China could result in "massive flooding" similar to the floods that left more than 4,000 people dead in 1998, Wang Jingquan, head of flood control for the Yangtze River Water Resources Committee, told the official China Daily newspaper. "Although the current situation along the Yangtze River has yet to reach the danger level, it is definitely at a crucial point," Wang said. Monitoring up to Wednesday suggested that water levels in all sections of the Yangtze exceeded the average level for mid-July, he was quoted as saying. The water level at Yangtze's Three Gorges Dam had reached 150 metres, 5 metres above alert level during the flood season, Wang said. "We are definitely facing great challenges in flood control along the Yangtze River because heavy rainfall usually hits the river valley in July and August," he said. Three serious floods along the Yangtze in 1975, 1983 and 1998 all occurred in July and August. "If heavy rain hits the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, coupled with the continuous rainfall in the middle and lower reaches, severe flooding similar to that in 1998 will occur," Wang was quoted as saying. The 1998 floods left 4,150 people dead and forced the relocation of more than 18 million people, the government said. On Thursday, the national flood control office said floods and landslides had killed 594 people and left 212 missing this year. It said the floods destroyed 590,000 homes, inundated 6.16 hectares of farmland and affected 97.5 million people in 26 provinces. The office also launched a disaster control plan on Thursday for Typhoon Conson, which is expected to make landfall in the southern province of Guangdong after leaving at least 23 people dead in the Philippines. The typhoon is expected to bring torrential rain to several areas draining into the Yangtze in the next few days, and "add to the grave situation in flood control," Wang said.
