Drought Halts Shipping on
12 May 2011 - 08H29
China
continues to be plagued by the Living God for exalting themselves above Him and
His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, and the open
persecution of Christian worship.
Chinese
fishing boats are seen stranded a dried up river bank along the
AFP - Drought on China's Yangtze river has led to historically low water levels
that have forced authorities to halt shipping on the nation's longest waterway,
the government and media said Thursday.
The water level along the lower reaches of
the river near the city of
A day earlier, the bureau closed a
228-kilometre (140-mile) stretch above
Further up the river, the massive Three
Gorges Dam, the world's biggest hydroelectric project, has discharged more
water to alleviate the drought conditions down river, state press reported.
It was not immediately clear if the
measures would be effective, as the drought along the middle reaches has sent
water levels to their lowest point in five decades, the China Daily said.
At least two ships have been stranded in
recent days as dozens of emergency teams have been dispatched to prevent
accidents along the middle reaches, where the river has shrunk to an average
width of about 150 metres, it said.
According to Wang Jingquan
of the Yangtze River Water Resources Committee, damming up the river at the
controversial Three Gorges Dam has aggravated the drought by diverting water
flow to the lower reaches, the paper said.
The 6,300-kilometre Yangtze is
The drought
has left 400,000 people in
October to May is normally the dry season
along the river and ocean-going ships are only allowed to go up river past
"Even though heavy rains are expected
in coming months, it's possible they won't raise the water level much,"
the China Daily quoted Wu Heping, director of the