Dongting Hu Floods

September 06, 2002

Dongting copy

Provided by: Martin Ruzek, USRA; Landsat.org
Summary authors & editors: Martin Ruzek

Dongting Hu in northern Hunan Province is China's second largest freshwater lake, it's size varying greatly from season to season, up to 7,700 square miles (20,000 sq km) in flood season. About 40% of the Yangtze River flows through the lake, which has been at dangerously high levels for much of this past summer due to heavy rains in June and July. This year's floods in China have claimed more than 1500 lives and have affected more than 100 million people, with direct economic losses of more than $8 billion. It is the worst flooding in the region since 1998 when 4000 lives were lost.

The false color Landsat 7 browse images above cover an area approximately 112 miles (180 km) on a side. The image on the left was acquired on January 5, 2002 during low water. The image on the right is from September 2, 2002, after the flood waters had already begun to subside.

Related Links: