The section of the Yangtze River in Hubei province is expected to encounter the biggest flood since 2003. To prepare for this, the government has decided to upgrade the flood emergency response level of Hubei province from third to second level (first is the top level) since 18:00 yesterday.

“Now is the most critical moment for flood control in Hubei,” said Zhao Bin, the Vice Governor of Hubei Province. “The attacks of two rivers are coming at the same time. The second major flood peak of Yangtze River will arrive at Three Gorges Reservoir on 28th.The water level generally rose and the flood peak of Han River is also coming to Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province on 29th. The two peaks arrive within less than 12 hours of each other, so the situation is urgent.”

The water along the 1378-kilometer dikes in the province is now over the alert level. More than 10,3000 people are guarding and monitoring the dikes.

Predicted by the hydrological department of Hubei Province, the water level of all the hydrological stations along Yangtze River except Shashi and Huangshi will pass the warning level from around the 29th to the 31st. The flood situation is severe.