Bad weather in China: Weak dam threatens seven million people

The Chinese military on Tuesday warned that a dam in the middle of the country could burst due to torrential rains that killed at least three people.

The People’s Liberation Army’s regional command said in a statement that a 20-meter breach was found today at the Yehetan Dam in Luoyang, a region of about 7 million people in Henan.

“The dam could give way at any moment,” he warned.

The army said it had sent troops to take emergency measures, including an explosion and flood diversion.

Zhengzhou, a large metropolis about 700 kilometers southwest of Beijing, was placed on red alert on Tuesday.

This is the highest warning level for the weather in China.

National CCTV television showed city streets submerged in heavy muddy water as residents pushed their vehicles through flooded arteries with knee-deep water.

Zhengzhou Weather Services has recorded the highest rainfall in a single day since records began 60 years ago.

According to the People’s Daily, houses collapsed due to bad weather. At least one was killed and at least two were missing.

Two others were killed when the wall collapsed, local media reported. The official report was not immediately available.

Local officials in Henan said on Tuesday that more than 10,000 people had been evacuated in recent days, with damage estimated at several million euros the day before.

Floods occur every summer in China due to seasonal rains.

Last year, record floods in the southwest of the country destroyed roads and evacuated thousands of residents.

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