China: Dam breach prompts authorities to evacuate over 700 people

Water at a section of the Yuanjiang River has surged nearly seven metres in the past 24 hours.

Beijing, Aug 12: The collapse of a dam wall due heavy rains has prompted authorities in China to evacuate more than 700 residents of a village.

Heavy rain have lashed parts of Hunan Province since Friday.

At a village in Yueyang County, rain-triggered landslides clogged the floodway of a dam, causing a surge of water in the dam and collapsing of the dam wall, the local government said.

Dozens of houses were flooded, but there were no casualties as all villagers were evacuated in time, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Across the province, floods trapped hundreds in the county of Pingjiang and the city of Jishou. Landslides occurred in Luxi County.

Water at a section of the Yuanjiang River has surged nearly seven metres in the past 24 hours. The Hunan provincial weather forecast bureau said heavy rain will continue today.

PTI