From AFP:
China has more than 85,000 reservoirs, of which 30,000 have serious structural problems, including 200 large and 1,600 medium-sized dams, Xinhua said.
China’s dams and other efforts to control the country’s frequently treacherous rivers have a long and tragic history.
In August 1975, a total of 62 dams in the central province of Henan either collapsed or were intentionally destroyed during a record rainstorm.
According to official statistics, at least 26,000 were killed and 10 million severely affected by the ensuing floods, which were kept secret for years. Experts have blamed faulty engineering for some of the dam failures. [Full Text]
Also read: Xinhua reports: Government vows to repair “time bomb” reservoirs.
A senior government official has described thousands of China’s reservoirs as “time bombs” that threaten the lives and property of people living downstream.
Jiao Yong, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, said all structurally unsound large, medium-sized and major small reservoirs nationwide would be repaired within three years.
The government would ensure the reinforcement and safety of the reservoirs, but it was a huge task, said Jiao. [Full Text]
