In a dramatic display of nature’s power, the Yellow River in the Chinese mainland has unleashed its first flood of 2025 after days of torrential rain. Communities along its banks are watching closely as water levels surge.
Between Friday and Sunday, heavy rainfall in the lower and middle reaches drove flows at a key hydrological station on the main stream to 5,010 cubic meters per second, surpassing the official flood threshold. This spike signaled the start of an autumn flood season that experts have been monitoring.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level-IV flood-control emergency response for Shanxi Province in north China, Henan Province in central China and Shaanxi Province in northwest China. The move aims to coordinate local defenses as several tributaries in the middle reaches rise above warning levels.
Forecasts indicate peak flood flows could reach around 6,000 cubic meters per second by midweek. The Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources said it will enhance monitoring, forecasting and early warning systems, and urge local authorities to implement comprehensive defenses to safeguard lives and property.
The practice of numbering floods on the Yellow River has been in place since 1998 on the Chinese mainland. It boosts public awareness of flood risks and alerts control departments to potential embankment failures, highlighting the need for strengthened flood prevention work.
For young global citizens, entrepreneurs and digital nomads, this event underscores the vital role of real-time data and resilient infrastructure in adapting to extreme weather. From business continuity to safe travel planning, the first flood of 2025 on the Yellow River serves as a powerful reminder of our interconnected world.
Reference(s):
First 2025 flood hits China's Yellow River after torrential rain
cgtn.com
