ZHENGZHOU, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A levee breach in central China's Henan Province was successfully sealed on Friday night after nearly two days of emergency repair work, local authorities said.
The breach, measuring more than 40 meters wide, occurred along the Beiru River in Jiaxian County, Pingdingshan City, on Wednesday night after heavy rainfall caused a section of the levee to give way, forcing the relocation of more than 2,000 people.
No casualties have been reported so far.
Due to the narrow road atop the levee, heavy construction vehicles were unable to reach the site. Rescue workers formed human chains to pass gravel-filled sandbags to the breach, while drones and rescue boats were deployed to transport materials.
The operation came amid widespread flooding triggered by heavy rainfall brought by the remnants of Typhoon Dolphin, the year's 13th typhoon, which has affected multiple parts of Henan Province in recent days.
In response, the National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief activated a Level-IV national disaster relief emergency response for Henan on Friday. The central government has allocated 30,000 items of relief supplies, including folding beds, summer quilts and family emergency kits, to support relief and resettlement efforts in Zhoukou, Xuchang and other affected areas. ■
