The dike breach at Dongting Lake in central China's Hunan Province is expected to be sealed before noon on Tuesday, Zhang Yingchun, executive vice governor of Hunan Province, told reporters at a press conference on Sunday afternoon.
At 5:48 p.m. on Friday, a Dongting Lake dike burst in Tuanzhou Township, Huarong County, administered by the city of Yueyang in the province, causing flooding in the area. The breach was initially about 10 meters wide but later expanded.
Firefighters evacuate people trapped by floods in Tuanbei Village, central China's Hunan Province, July 6, 2024. /CFP
As of 6 p.m. on Saturday, all 7,680 people in the area had been relocated, with no casualties reported, he said.
Following the immediate relocation from the affected area, urgent measures have been taken to repair the breach. As of 3 p.m. on Sunday, 87.3 meters of the 226-meter breach in the dike had been sealed, according to Zhang Lirong, chief engineer at China Anneng Construction Group, one of the main rescue forces. And it is expected to be sealed before noon on Tuesday, he added.