Chongqing Maritime Safety Authority announced a list of 30 landslide hazards in the Three Gorges reservoir area under its jurisdiction. Among the hazards, 17 are located on the northern bank and nine on the southern bank along the 408km stretch of water between Wushan county and Fuling district. The other four hazards are on a tributary of the Yangtze, near the reservoir.

The authorities published the information to alert passing vessels to the dangers.

It is not yet clear whether these hazards are related to the regular rise and fall of the water level behind the Three Gorges dam. Looking forward, the plan to raise the water level at the dam to 175 metres for the first time by the end of this year may be abandoned due to the urgent need to release water to alleviate the severe draught in the middle reaches, according to the Yangtze River Administration.

Meanwhile, Chongqing has been busy removing another danger to water traffic. The 37-year-old Baitao Wu River Bridge in Fuling district was demolished on 15 November. It was the last remaining bridge in the Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir area that the authorities have identified for removal.