China's Three Gorges Dam Left with 10m to Maximum Level... Authorities Say "No Risk of Collapse"

Heavy Rain in Southern China Causes Floodwaters to Exceed Limit
Major Cities and Granaries Concentrated Near Dam
Collapse Would Cause Significant Economic Damage
Authorities Say "No Structural Deformation Occurred in Dam"

The Three Gorges Dam, located on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in Hubei Province, China, released a large volume of water through its spillways on the 17th (local time). The Yangtze River basin has been experiencing heavy rainfall for over a month. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Concerns over the collapse of the world's largest artificial dam, China's Three Gorges Dam, continue unabated due to heavy rains pouring down in southern China. Reports indicate that the dam's reservoir is just 10 meters away from reaching its maximum water level.

The Chinese government is taking measures to prepare for the heavy rains, including blasting parts of the dam embankment to lower the water level. However, they have dismissed rumors of the dam's collapse as "baseless claims."

According to Chinese-language media such as Hong Kong's 'Apple Daily,' as of the afternoon of the 19th (local time), the water level of the Three Gorges Dam was recorded at 164.18 meters, leaving 10.82 meters to the dam's maximum water level of 175 meters. The flood control limit of 145 meters has already been exceeded by 19 meters.

The water level of the Three Gorges Dam has maintained a dangerous inflow level since surpassing the flood control limit on the 20th of last month. Chinese authorities have attempted to suppress the inflow by blasting two embankments near the dam, but due to the record-breaking heavy rains pouring down in southern China, the water level has not decreased significantly.

Some Chinese netizens have expressed anxiety, wondering if the dam might collapse due to the high inflow volume.

Photos showing distortions in the dam's steel structure have been shared online under the title "Three Gorges Dam Collapse Rumors," and posts urging residents near the Three Gorges Dam to evacuate have also appeared.

Due to the recent heavy rains in Hubei Province, China, the Yangtze River in Wuhan overflowed, and on the 8th, residents were swimming past a pavilion submerged in water. / Photo by Yonhap News

As rumors of the dam's collapse spread, the Chinese government moved to quell them. A representative of the state-owned company managing the Three Gorges Dam, Changjiang Three Gorges Group, stated in an interview with Chinese media 'Global Times' on the 20th, "There has never been any deformation in the dam, nor any other notable risks," emphasizing the advantages of the Three Gorges Dam by adding, "If the Three Gorges Dam did not exist, flood control downstream would be in a much more difficult situation."

The Three Gorges Dam was constructed near Yichang City in Hubei Province, China. Spanning the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, the world's third-longest river, this dam is the largest in the world with a total length of 2.3 km and a reservoir capacity of 39 billion tons. The hydropower generation capacity through the dam is also the largest globally, at 22.4 million kW.

The Yangtze River, where the Three Gorges Dam is located, is densely populated with major Chinese cities and grain-producing regions. Chongqing is upstream, while Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai lie downstream. Should the dam collapse and flood these areas, the Chinese economy would suffer severe damage.

Meanwhile, southern China has experienced heavy rains and flooding since last month, resulting in flood victims and the submersion of some residential areas.

According to China's 'Xinhua News Agency' on the 23rd, as of that date, 45,223,000 people have been affected, and property damage amounts to 75.49 billion yuan (approximately 12.9 trillion won).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.