The water level of the Songhua River which flows through this capital of China's northernmost Heilongjiang Province had witnessed a quick rise to 116.82 meters by Tuesday, 6.75 meters higher than the river's lowest level on June 12 this year.  

Experts at the local hydrometeorological bureau said that the swelling of the river will not pose a big threat for the anti-flood work because it was mainly caused by the flood crest in the Nenjiang River, a major tributary of the Songhua River, and the water level will drop as soon as the flood crest passes.

However, the water level will continue to rise in the next few days, and is expected to hit 117.80 meters, close to the warning mark of 118.10 meters, according to the experts.

The Songhua River, the third biggest river in China, runs for 1,745 kilometers from the Changbai Mountains in Jilin Province into the Heilong River at the China-Russia border.

The Harbin municipal government has made full preparations for possible flood disasters, according to officials.

In late July this year, torrential rains hit the province, and caused major floods in the rivers of the province.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2003)