Wuhan, a city in central China, is on high alert as a flood peak in Yangtze River, China's longest, is passing through and water level keeps rising.

The capital city of Hubei Province has ordered local authorities to step up patrol along dikes and sluice gates.

It has prepared sand, soil and bags for possible breaches. Drills on the rescue of stranded residents and closing up breaches would be held on Thursday and Friday.

The water level was 25 meters at 9 PM Wednesday and rose to 25.07 meters at 8 AM Thursday, according to the Wuhan flood control headquarters. The danger line is at 27.3 meters.

Runoff in Yangtze River increased by 3,600 cubic meters per second in the past 24 hours to 50,800 cubic meters per second at 8 AM Thursday, officials with the headquarters said.

The water resources commission of Yangtze River said the water level, which is the highest so far this year, would keep rising in the coming few days. It expected the water level to be 25.68 meters on July 30.

Yangtze River enters Wuhan from its southwest and stretches 150 kilometers in the city.

Beside the flood peak in Yangtze River, another flood peak in Hanjiang River, a Yangtze tributary, has also arrived in the city, bringing the water level of the Wuhan section to 27.85 meters, 0.35 meter above the danger line.

(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2007)