China launches emergency response as Yellow River swells

China on Monday launched a level III emergency response for flood control as water levels of the Yellow River, the country's second-longest river, continue to rise following heavy rainfall, said the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR).

The water flow at the Tongguan hydrology station in the middle of the river has increased rapidly, reaching 5,020 cubic meters per second at 3:48 pm Monday.

Yiluo River and Qinhe River in the middle reaches of the Yellow River also showed signs of flooding. The water levels at the Huayuankou hydrology station rose to 4,020 cubic meters per second at 9 pm Monday, said the MWR.

The ministry has dispatched three work teams to the provincial regions of Shandong, Henan, and Shaanxi to guide local flood-control work, including strengthening dike inspection and relocating people under threat.