The water in the Huangpu River, which passes along downtown Shanghai, exceeded the alert line on Friday as a result of recent heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Sinlaku in east and south China.

Huangpu water levels at three major monitoring sites of Wudongkou, Suzhouhe and Mishidu reached 5.1, 5.23 and 5.17 meters, respectively, beginning late Thursday night and into early Friday morning, all exceeding the alert levels.

The municipal flood-control authorities ordered the closing of 1,000 floodgates before the water began to surge, heading off potential flooding in Shanghai, one of China's economic powerhouses.

According to a forecast released by the Shanghai Flood-Control Information Center, the water level in Huangpu River will remain above the alert line for the next five days.

Local flood-control departments have been ordered to conduct frequent inspections of floodgates, floodwalls and dams in order to ensure the safety of the coastal city.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2002)