The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has raised the alert status at Taihu Lake to level three as water continues to rise.

Levels have been above the warning line for nearly a half-month in Changxing County in Jiangsu Province. As of 10 AM Saturday, the water level of Taihu lake had risen to 4.22 meters. That is 52 centimeters above the warning line... the highest this year. Waterway management departments in Changxing County are imposing 24-hour traffic control on the innermost section of a local river. Experts say the water could rise to 4.23 meters, the highest in a decade. To relieve the overflow, spillways near Taihu Lake have been discharging flood water over the last two days.

(CCTV August 17, 2009)