According to Chinese media outlets, including state-run Xinhua News Agency, a section of the dike of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake, collapsed on Saturday due to higher than usual rainfall.
The report states that a portion of the dike in Huarong County, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, which had been at risk of leakage, burst at around 5:48 p.m. the previous day. Initially, the breach was about 10 meters (32.8 feet), but it expanded to 150 meters (492.1 feet) by 11 p.m. and to 220 meters (721.8 feet) by the afternoon.
Videos online show water gushing out from the collapsed dike, inundating farmland and house rooftops. AFP reported that all roads leading to Huarong County, home to 500,000 people, were closed.
On a state visit to Tajikistan in Central Asia, President Xi Jinping instructed officials to prioritize the safety of residents’ lives and properties, stating, “The situation is serious as some areas have a lot of rainfall and the rainy period is long. If the dike is eroded by water for a long time, dangerous situations such as flooding can easily occur.”
China Central Television reported that authorities safely evacuated 5,755 residents, resulting in no casualties. Over 2,100 rescue workers and about 160 boats were mobilized for emergency restoration.
More than 50,000 sand and gravel and 1,320 tons of rice were deployed to prevent further flooding, and 18 vehicles were driven into the collapsed dike.
The central government allocated 540 million yuan (approximately $74 million) as relief funds for Hunan Province and other affected areas. Hunan Province, in particular, has recorded its highest rainfall of the year since July 16, with some regions experiencing record rainfall. Due to the heavy rain, the water level of the Yangtze River and others has risen, forcing nearly 250,000 residents to seek temporary shelter this week alone.
The number of deaths and injuries caused by a tornado that occurred in Heze City, Shandong Province, the previous afternoon rose to five, and 88 were injured. Initial investigations revealed that 2,820 houses, 4,060 hectares (10,028 acres) of farmland, and 48 power lines were damaged.
