China's Three Gorges fills faster than expected
Date: 12-Jun-03
Country: CHINA
The People's Daily, mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, said the massive reservoir hit 135 metres (443 ft) at 10 p.m. (GMT 1400) this week, five days ahead of schedule. It did not say why.
By the time it is full, the reservoir will be 175 metres (575 feet) deep.
Engineers blocked the Yangtze River at the Three Gorges dam on June 1, starting to fill the reservoir for the project that is a point of national pride but which critics fear will become an environmental nightmare.
The project began in 1993 and is expected to be completed by 2009.
