Heilong River sees worst flood in century

A house is flooded in Suidong Township of Suibin County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 24, 2013. About 91 villages at Suibin County were flooded due to breach of a dike on a section of the Heilong River. The Heilong River has swelled over the past week, with some sections seeing the worst floods in history. (Xinhua/Xu Yijun)

The Sino-Russian bordering Heilong River in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has seen its worst flooding in a century with continuous rising water levels, said local authorities on Sunday.

The Heilong River has swelled since mid-August, with some sections of its middle and lower reaches seeing their worst floods in history, according to the Heilongjiang provincial flood control headquarters.

At 8 a.m. Saturday, the Qindeli hydrological station on the river recorded a record-high water level of 50.62 meters, 1.31 meters higher than the previous record logged in 1984.

Meanwhile, the Fuyuan hydrological station also recorded its new water level record of 43.37 meters, 0.98 meters higher than the previous record set in 1984.

On Saturday, data taken by the Russian Leninskoye hydrological station indicated that a new record high water mark had been set for the Tongjiang-Fuyuan river section, with the day's level surpassing the previous highest in 1984 and representing the worst flood since the station's foundation in 1896.

Provincial flood-control authorities asked local governments to cement their anti-flood walls and enhance inspections of the dikes.

The city of Tongjiang, a vulnerable spot located at the bank of Heilong River, has been building earth platforms behind its anti-flood walls.

The floods also cut off roads leading to Fuyuan County, home to about 170,000 people.