Evacuation after Shanxi reservoir collapse

TAIYUAN - Residents near a reservoir in North China's Shanxi province have been evacuated after part of its dam collapsed, causing flooding, said a local official on Saturday.

The top of an irrigation water duct of Quting Reservoir in Hongtong county caved in around 7 am on Friday, leading to the partial collapse of its dam walls, said the official.

No casualties have been reported as residents downstream were evacuated.

The Ministry of Water Resources has sent a work team to the scene to deal with the flooding. Workers are using sand bags and other materials to seal the breach.

The irrigation water duct was established in 1959. Its old age was one cause of the collapse, according to local officials.