The five-step shiplocks of the Three Gorges Dam were temporarily closed on 3 August in preparation for the biggest flood crest of the summer. Recent heavy rains in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River have led to 41,000 cubic metres per second of water entering the Three Gorges Reservoir.

The water level in the reservoir has been lowered by about 28 metres to 145 metres to ensure the dam’s safety.