WUHAN, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Friday downgraded the emergency response for flood control in the Yangtze River and riverside areas to Level III, the second-lowest in the response system.
All hydrological stations along the river's main course have seen water retreat below guaranteed levels and have shown signs of further decreases, according to the Changjiang Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources.
The commission predicted new rounds of downpours in the upper streams of the country's longest river in August, while heavy rains in other parts of the river are expected to significantly subside.
Experts, however, warned that the river sections downstream of the city of Shishou, central China's Hubei Province, continued to observe water levels that trigger alerts, urging authorities to stay on high alert.
The river's flood control response was upgraded to Level II on July 10, as intense rains pushed up water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the river. Enditem
