#NEWS : Flooding Temporarily Eased at Three Gorges Dam

Flooding was temporarily eased on the Yangtze River as the Three Gorges Dam on China's longest river saw water levels slightly down from its crest stage, the nation's flood control authority said Saturday.

The water level at the dam fell to 158.54 meters as of 8 a.m. Saturday, 0.32 meters lower than its highest level of 158.86 meters which took place on Friday morning, according to data from the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters

The water was flowing from the upper stream of the river at 31,000 cubic meters per second, said the office in a statement on its website.

However, the water level was still 13.54 meters above the alarm level and is expected to increase again due to rainfall and water inflows from tributaries in the upper stream, the statement said.

The office warned that the water level at the dam is very likely to exceed the historical level, if it rises again.

Some of the country's other major rivers were also witnessing water levels surpassing their warning levels, including the Jialing River, Hanjiang River and Huaihe River, the statement said.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said China was at a "crucial stage" for flood control during an inspection tour in central China's Hubei Province that began July 23.

He ordered local governments to adopt scientific measures to be well-prepared for "more serious floods and disasters".

Floods in China this year have left 742 people dead and 367 missing as of Friday, according to the flood control office.

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