About 20,000 cubic meters of rock and mud flowed into the Yangtze River following a landslide in the Three Gorges Dam area Monday, but no casualties have been reported. [Chongqing Evening News]

About 20,000 cubic meters of rock and mud flowed into the Yangtze River following a landslide in the Three Gorges Dam area Monday, but no casualties have been reported.

The landslide happened on the northern bank of Wuxia Gorge, one of the Three Gorges, at around 1:40 a.m. Monday, the maritime affairs department in southwestern Chongqing Municipality said in a press release Tuesday.

The incident did not obstruct Yangtze shipping routes and water traffic was normal Tuesday, it said.

Maritime authorities imposed a five-hour traffic ban near the Wuxia Gorge after the landslide, affecting 45 vessels. The ban was lifted at 7:15 a.m. Monday after experts ruled out risks of further landslides.

The maritime bureau is monitoring the dam area around the clock.

A similar landslide was reported in the area on Nov. 23, when about 50,000 cubic meters of rock flowed into the Yangtze and water traffic was stopped for two days.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2009)