Flood prevention on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River still faces a severe situation this year, said an official in charge of water resources in Wuhan, Hubei Province, Wednesday.

Cai Qihua, director of the Yangtze River Water Resources Committee, made his remarks at a meeting held Wednesday on flood prevention in central China's Hubei Province.

According to the forecasts from the meteorological and hydrology departments, there will be two "rainfall strips" to cover southern China's large area, including Hubei, along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Meanwhile, Cai said, dams of the Yangtze River's branches remain weak, though the dikes of the longest river in China have become stronger due to several times' reinforcement.

Also, the Three Gorges Reservoir has not had a capability to make effective adjustment to the flood discharge on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the draining clear water from the reservoir can even lead to changes of riverbeds at some sections of the river, according to Cai.

Luo Qingquan, governor of the province and the commander in chief of the Yangtze River Flood Control Headquarters, demanded at the meeting the departments concerned to modify the plan on flood prevention and improve the ability to meet an emergency.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2004)