China battles damage left by extensive flooding
Large areas of China battled damage caused by the worst flooding to hit the country in decades on Saturday (July 18), as a levee was repaired and more people were rescued.
Many cities and provinces have now declared red alerts, including the central city of Wuhan, the southern city of Nanjing, and three provinces in the eastern and south eastern parts of the country.
A levee in one of China's largest freshwater lakes, located in the south of the country, was repaired on Saturday after it burst a week ago.
According to state media, one of the three dams in Poyang lake in Jiangxi Province, burst due to heavy torrential rain and accumulated floodwater.
Water gushed out of the opening, affecting more than 8,000 people in 15 villages nearby.
The floods have also hurt economic activity in other parts of China, especially in construction and demand for steel and cement, according to analysts, suggesting some loss of momentum after a stronger than expected bounce in the second quarter.
China's banking and insurance regulator also on Saturday announced measures to further increase credit and lending support, and offer insurance protection for areas that suffered from the recent floods.
