Salt Lake Telegram | 1933-06-23 | Page 7 | Yangtse River Threatens to Flood Country

y RIVER THREATENS TO FLOOD COUNTRY I Waters Lap at Top of Dikes Protecting ing Granary of Chinese By ni MORRIS l J. J HARRIS Associated Press Staff State Writer SHANGHAI SHANGHAI June 23 chinas 23 Chinas China's great river the is threatening threaten threaten- ing to inundate numerous cities towns towns' townsand and farmlands within its vast vane valley comprising the heart of the nation The which has undergone a phenomenal rise in lit th the last las fortnight fortnight fort fort- night as a result of continuous rains at its head headwaters waters now laps the tops of dikes protecting the nations nation's granary The stream threatens to repeat the great floods of 1931 following which miles of new dikes were built bunt at ata a height believed sufficient to remove all likelihood of the danger which now impends Levels reached two years ago were surpassed today and the mighty river still rose So far tar the new walls alone have prevented disaster Grave alarm is felt in the district through which the flows lows Emergency measures are being put forth to strengthen and raise the dikes Numerous minor breaks have occurred occurred oc oc- oc- oc however and isolated areas h. h kas hn ft A Thed The danger i that a still greater flood nood menaces menaces north China loomed when the nationalist government published a report by experts studying the Yel Yellow low river saying they believe it is ison ison ison on the verge erge of leaving its present course in northern Honan province where th the stream bends sharply to the northeast and returns to the theold theold theold old course through eastern Honan and northern to the sea Should such an eventuality occur it would mean a disaster of the greatest greatest great great- est magnitude for the area through which the waters would carve a new channel is Inhabited by tens of millions mil rail lions of persons and encompasses thousands of square miles mites From north Honan the Yellow river rivert at t present flows northeastward through Shantung having taken ken this course in 1854 prior to which which- It flowed wed for OO years through the course it now t threatens to reassume The Yellow riv river r n as a result of its repeated devastating floods is known as Chin Chinas s 's sorrow