A 45-km frozen section of the lower reaches of the Yellow River,
China's second
longest waterway, thawed by Monday without causing any problems.
The Yellow River flood control office of Shandong Province said the lower reaches were
subject to a severe cold spell from January 7 and a 5-km section of
the river had frozen. By January 20 the river was frozen in 11
different locations in Shandong.
But over the past two weeks the ice melted as temperatures rose
in the eastern province. Temperatures are around three degrees
Celsius higher than the annual average for the area, officials
said. They pointed out that a build-up of water caught below the
ice could lead to flooding.
Such floods are common on the Yellow River in early winter and
spring when the changing temperatures cause freeze-ups and thaws.
The ice can damage the riverbank and lead to flooding.
To prevent this from happening those involved have launched an
ice control scheme and monitor flows with remote sensing
technology. The river has caused no serious problems so far this
season.
The 5,464-km Yellow River originates in Qinghai Province and flows through Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan before passing through Shandong and
flowing into the Bohai Bay.
(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2007)
