China floods 'worst in decades'
Reuters - Tue, 13 Aug 2013 08:01 AM
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An area of China's border with Russia has been seeing its worst flooding in decades, state media reported.
The water level of the Heilongjiang River in the city of Heihe, Heilongjiang province, reached 97.13 metres on Monday (August 12) evening, its highest level since 1985, official broadcaster CCTV said.
The river, which runs along the border between the two countries and is also known as the Amur, has spilled over, flooding homes and farmland on both sides.
CCTV showed people wading through floodwater on Monday, while others took to rowing boats through the streets.
The island of Daheihe has been submerged, forcing the evacuation of residents and businesses, CCTV said.
Immigration offices and control points along the border have also been flooded and shut down.
The only entry point in Heihe still open to Russian freight has been allowing temporary customs checks for travellers, CCTV said.
Flooding has killed more than 300 people across China so far this year and left many more missing, the state-run Xinhua news agency said last month.
