Dam collapse in China could point to a 'black swan' disaster

An aerial view shows the flooded Yangshuo town by the overflowing Li River, against the backdrop of the karst landscape in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China June 7, 2020. Chen Yan via REUTERSYANGSHUO, China: The dam at a small reservoir in China's Guangxi region gave way last month after days of heavy rain in a collapse that could be a harbinger of sterner tests for many of the country's 94,000 aging dams as the weather gets more extreme.

That raises the prospect of disaster in river valleys and flood plains that are much more densely populated than they were when the dams were built. It was unclear if record-breaking rains were to blame for the Shazixi collapse or if the dam's emergency spillway had been blocked by silt or if it was a design problem.

"But a dam should be able to withstand extreme events even if they become regular, and when the flood is over, it should be exactly of the same quality as before the event, if the dam was properly designed and built," Shankman said. Ye Jianchun, deputy minister of the Ministry of Water Resources, told a recent news conference he was confident flood-control projects on major rivers were capable of handling the largest floods seen since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

China blows up dam to ease flood risk amid prolonged heavy rainsLocal authorities said the action was taken to ensure the safety of people living nearby.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

China blows up dam in eastern province to ease flood riskChinese authorities blew up part of a dam in eastern Anhui province to relieve flood pressure, local media reported, as heavy rains continue to ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Kenya fishermen say they are squeezed by Ethiopian mega-damFishermen on the shores of Kenya's Lake Turkana, the world's biggest desert lake, have no doubt about what is to blame for their dwindling fish ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

China threatens 'consequences' over UK extradition moveLONDON — China on Tuesday (July 21) warned of
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

China threatens 'consequences' over British extradition treaty decisionLONDON (AFP) - China on Tuesday (July 21) warned of 'consequences' after Britain suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in protest at a controversial new security law in the territory.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Beijing envoy says Washington must decide if it is ready to accept rise of ChinaBeijing’s top envoy to the US has urged Washington to decide whether it is ready to accept the rise of China, amid ever-heightening tensions between the strategic rivals.Cui Tiankai told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview on Sunday that China had the “legitimate right” to modernise into a “strong,
Source: YahooSG - 🏆 3. / 71 Read more »