China’s Wuhan & 3 provinces declare red alert amid worst floods in decades

Large parts of central and eastern China were reeling on Friday from the worst floods in decades, as disruption mounted for key supply chains, including those delivering crucial personal protective equipment for fighting the coronavirus.

The central Chinese city of Wuhan and the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Zhejiang declared red alerts on Friday as heavy rain swelled rivers and lakes. Wuhan, on the banks of the Yangtze river – where the novel coronavirus emerged late last year – warned residents to take precautions as water levels fast approached their maximum guaranteed safety level, Reuters reports.

The giant Three Gorges reservoir, which has been holding back more water to try to ease downstream flood risks, is more than 10 meters higher than its warning level.

The Poyang Lake in Jiangxi province, which is formed from the overspill of the Yangtze, is 2.5 meters higher than its warning level. Further east, the Tai lake near Shanghai has also declared a red alert.