In a recent report from Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Mengla County, the town of Mohan experienced 187.5 millimeters of rainfall in just 24 hours, leading to a dangerous situation at the Yantang Reservoir.
On August 30th at 7:11 am, the Mengla County Meteorological Observatory upgraded the rainstorm warning signal to red, indicating the risk of dam failure at the Yantang Reservoir in Mohan Town due to continuous heavy rainfall. From the 28th to the 29th of August, Mengla County saw widespread heavy to torrential rains, with Mohan Town recording the highest rainfall of 187.5 millimeters in 24 hours, leading to the overflow risk at the Yantang Reservoir. By the morning of the 30th, more than 8,000 people had been evacuated from the area.
According to the meteorological observatory, in the past 3 hours, Mohan Town’s Mengla No. 1 emergency station received a total of 65.0 millimeters of rainfall. For the next 3 hours, Mengla County is expected to continue experiencing heavy rain, increasing the risk of rainstorm disasters in towns like Mohan, necessitating precautions against urban flooding, flash floods, and geological disasters.
Around 9:30 am on the 30th, “Red Star News” contacted the Mohan Town government and was informed that there had been a decrease in rainfall the previous night, and the water level had begun to recede after discharging water from the reservoir. Despite the red rainstorm warning issued by the meteorological department on the 30th and the continued risk of reservoir overflow, the staff stated that ongoing emergency measures were in place, with personnel mobilized to the reservoir for water discharge operations.
“Jiupai News” also reached out to the Mohan Town government on the 30th, where a staff member mentioned, “Yesterday’s overflow at the reservoir was minor, and we have been continuously monitoring the situation in real-time. The rainfall at Yantang Reservoir was too heavy, causing roads to be washed away.” The staff member added, “Heavy machinery was used to clear the roads, but communication has not been restored, and heavy rainfall has resumed.”
As reported by the “Kunming Daily,” from the 28th to the 29th, Mohan Town, part of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and under the management of Kunming City, experienced heavy rainfall. The water levels in local rivers rose continuously, with the Yantang Reservoir in Mohan Town facing the risk of overflowing and potential dam failure.
At 8:10 pm on the 29th, the Kunming City Flood Control and Drought Relief Command Office issued a notice stating that the Yantang Reservoir in Mohan Village was at risk of overflow, with a potential dam failure. By 4 pm on the 29th, more than 2,200 residents from six villages including Mohan, Shangyong, Shanggang, and Manzhuang had been relocated. Based on the on-site assessment, the evacuation area was expected to be further expanded.
On the morning of the 30th, a reporter from “Jimu News” contacted the Mohan Town government, where the staff member mentioned that due to heavy rainfall, the reservoir was at risk of overflowing, resulting in the evacuation of over 8,000 people, and ongoing water discharge operations were in progress.
Public records indicate that the Yantang Reservoir in Mohan Town, Mengla County, primarily serves as a water supply for residential, agricultural, and industrial purposes. The expansion project started in 2023, and after expansion, the total capacity of the reservoir reached 8.511 million cubic meters. It serves as the sole water source for the China-Laos Mohan-Moding Economic Cooperation Zone and is located on the South La River, a second-level tributary of the Nangulang River, a tributary of the Lancang River system.