Raging Yangtze spares big Chinese hydro dam

The peak of the floodwaters swelling the Yangtze River after torrential rains flowed safely through China's biggest hydroelectric dam project at Gezhouba, a flood-control official said. Floods in Sichuan claimed the lives of 3,000 to 4, 000 people last week and destroyed at least 50,000 homes, preliminary figures show.

The People's Daily said the Air Force parachuted supplies to areas cut off during the flooding in Sichuan. Troops were distributing food and medical supplies. The paper stressed that the situation in the areas was calm and fully under control.