China's Yellow River warned of flood

ZHENGZHOU - China's second longest river, the Yellow River, faces a growing possibility of flooding this year, said the river's flood control headquarters.

Meteorological forecasts indicate that precipitation of the river drainage area during its flood season this year will be bigger than previously. Some areas in its middle reaches could see 20 to 30 percent more precipitation than usual, said Chen Xiaojiang, director of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission.

Data showed the river has had no flooding at 20,000 cubic meters per second since 1959 and no flooding at 10,000 cubic meters per second since 1983, said Chen, also deputy head of the Yellow River Flood Control and Drought Relief headquarters.

The possibility of big floods is increasing, said the headquarters.

Floods could affect 1.89 million residents in low-lying areas, said Chen.

The headquarters demanded provinces along the river to step up efforts on flood prevention plans and make preparations for disaster relief.

The 5,464-km-long Yellow River originates in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, passes its way eastward and finally empties into the Bohai Sea in Shandong Province.