China on high alert; death toll in rains up to 237, 93 missing

A high alert was sounded in China on Thursday for more rains and flood after 21 people died taking the death toll to 237 as super Typhoon Nepartak left the country's east coast troubled with largescale devastation and chaos.

Southern China: 35 die in severe flooding. High alert for possible El Niño disasters

China would be able to withstand a flood disaster as overwhelming as that in 1998, memories of which have been aroused as rainstorms and floods continued to rage in southern China, experts said.

China: Environment ministry rejects hydropower project

China's environment ministry has refused approval for a hydropower dam on an ecologically vulnerable river already damaged by construction, a rare setback for the country's extensive dam-building program.

Three Gorges sets hydropower record

China's Three Gorges Power Plant generated 98.8 billion kilowatt-hours (kwh) of electricity in 2014, beating the world record for hydropower generation, according to the China Three Gorges Corporation.

Three Gorges Dam authority makes admission free for domestic tourists

Starting Thursday, Chinese tourists will be able to visit the Three Gorges Dam, the country's largest hydropower project, free of charge, announced the China Three Gorges Corporation and Yichang government in Hubei Province at a press conference Wednesday.

This scenic spot will be free to all Chinese tourists, including residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, while foreign visitors still need to pay 105 yuan ($17) for a ticket.

The maximum daily number of tourists will be restricted to 40,000. The dam currently receives an average of 1.8 million tourists every year, reported the Xinhua News Agency.

Yangtze River sees highest flood peak of the year, Three Gorges Dam reservoir reaching 48,000 cubic meters per second on Sunday

Video CCTV

The Yangtze River has seen its highest flood peak so far this year, with water flow into the Three Gorges Dam reservoir reaching 48,000 cubic meters per second on Sunday.

The Yangtze River Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters says water flow has increased rapidly since last Wednesday, due to continuous rainfall in the region.

 The Headquarters has ordered the reservoir’s water discharge to be raised to 35,000 cubic meters per second.

 Navigation restrictions have also been enforced in nearby waterways. 

Στην Αφρική το μεγαλύτερο υδροηλεκτρικό φράγμα του κόσμου;

Ένα υδροηλεκτρικό φράγμα διπλάσιας ισχύος από το μεγαλύτερο στον κόσμο – το Φράγμα των Τριών Φαραγγιών, στην Κίνα – ενδέχεται να ανεγερθεί μέσα στα επόμενα χρόνια στην Αφρική. Εταιρείες από την Ισπανία, την Κίνα και τη Νότια Κορέα «ερίζουν» για την υλοποίηση του φιλόδοξου έργου που, όπως όλα δείχνουν, θα αρχίσει προς το τέλος του 2015, ωστόσο δεν λείπουν και οι ενστάσεις.

Το φράγμα Inga 3, που στην πρώτη του φάση θα έχει ισχύ 4,800MW με προοπτική δεκαπλασιασμού, πρόκειται να κατασκευαστεί στον ποταμό Κονγκό, το βαθύτερο στον κόσμο, 230 χλμ. νοτιοδυτικά της Κινσάσα, ενώ εκτιμάται ότι θα στοιχίσει μεταξύ 9 δισ. και 14 δισ. δολαρίων. Σύμφωνα με αξιωματούχους, η ανέγερσή του θα έχει ολοκληρωθεί έως το 2021.