Record Floods Test China's Three Gorges Dam: Big Pic
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July 20, 2010 -- Torrential rains that have been dumping on China for weeks turned deadly as record-breaking floods show no signs of retreat.
Reuters reported that "at least 37 people died and another 86 were missing after landslides and flooding in northwestern Shaanxi province and southwestern Sichuan since late last week." Millions had to be evacuated from their homes as dikes strain against the water's weight.
The image above shows the swollen Three Gorges Reservoir in Yichang, China, which filled up at a startling rate of 66,500 cubic meters (218,176 cubic feet) per second on Monday. That's the highest level ever recorded.
BBC News reported that as of early this morning, floodwaters were just 20 meters (66 feet) away from reaching the dam's capacity: "Authorities are using the dam to limit the amount of water flowing further downstream to try to minimize the impact of devastating floods."
The Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, has been a controversial project since the body of it was finished in 2006, forcing 1.4 million people to relocate.
Photo credit: ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images
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