Team deployed to aid rescue after dike breach in China's second-largest freshwater lake

BEIJING -- A work team has been dispatched to Central China's Hunan province to guide rescue efforts after a dike breach in the country's second-largest freshwater lake on Friday afternoon, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM).

The ministry, together with the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, has continued to increase rescue forces.

As of Saturday night, over 1,400 personnel from the China National Comprehensive Fire and Rescue Team have arrived at the site, according to the MEM.

Additionally, the MEM's natural disaster emergency rescue center has also deployed 350 professionals to support rescue efforts.

Surveying drones and remote sensing satellites are being used to collect images of the breach and the surrounding affected area. An emergency rescue vessel from the provincial capital Changsha has arrived to assist with pile driving and placing sandbags to block the breach.

The dike breach that occurred in the Dongting Lake was initially about 10 meters wide but expanded afterward. The affected area near Tuanbei Village covers approximately 50 square km. This area experienced a dike breach in 1996.

Emergency supplies have been sent to support local authorities in the evacuation and resettlement of disaster-affected residents.

As of 10 p.m. Friday, 5,000 residents in the affected area had been safely relocated. There were no immediate reports of trapped individuals or casualties.

Since June 16, Hunan has seen its heaviest rainfall of the year, breaking historical records in some regions.

In addition to Hunan, vast parts of the country have experienced persistent heavy rains since the flood season began, posing major risks to local embankments and reservoirs.

Government agencies of meteorology, water conservancy, natural resources, and urban and rural development have provided flood control instructions for 18 rain-affected regions, including Hunan, Shandong, Henan and Shaanxi.

Local governments are prioritizing monitoring rain and flooding, creating contingency plans and reinforcing flood control facilities.