50,000 people evacuated after flood hits NE China

The scene of the Dandong section of Yalu River in Dandong, Northeast China's Liaoning province. Rains kept pouring from Thursday night and water level of Yalu River surged, threatening the residents in the city. More than 50,000 people have been evacuated as of 7 am Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]

DANDONG, Liaoning - Three people were missing and about 51,000 people had been evacuated as of 7 am Saturday, after the swollen Yalu River flooded parts of Dandong City in northeast China's Liaoning Province, the city government said.

The flooding caused 230 houses to collapse and cut transportation, communications and power supply in some areas, said a city government statement.

A border river separating China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Yalu breached the city's first dike - which lies between the river and an economic development zone - to flood the first floor of riverside buildings.

The downtown area of Dandong was not affected, though, as another dike, two meters in height, stood between the development zone and the downtown area.

Floodwaters from the river overflowing Saturday also left 80 people stranded in Dongdianzi Village, in Kuandian County, about 100 km northeast to Dandong.

As of 1:20 pm, 29 of the stranded villagers had been rescued by helicopter sent by a rescue team under the Ministry of Transport.

Train services between the provincial capital Shenyang and Dandong were suspended at 4 am Saturday as floodwaters inundated railroad tracks, a Shenyang Railway Bureau spokesman said.

Heavy rain began to hit Dandong early Friday, with falls reaching nearly 600 mm in some areas, significantly raising the water level in the Yalu.

China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) warned Saturday morning that over the next 24 hours, heavy rains will continue to affect southeastern parts of Liaoning and Jilin provinces, where the Yalu is located.

A road is submerged by flood water near the Yalu River in Dandong, Northeast China's Liaoning province, August 21, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]