China: 33 rivers hit record levels as floods situation remains 'grim'; 141 dead or missing

This aerial view shows a bridge leading to the inundated Tianxingzhou island, which is set to be a flood flowing zone to relieve pressure from the high level of water in Yangtze River, in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on Monday (July 13, 2020.) Various parts of China have been hit by continuous downpours since June, with the damage adding pressure to a domestic economy already hit by the coronavirus pandemic. - AFP

SHANGHAI, July 13 (AFP): Floods across central and eastern china have left more than 140 people dead or missing and are swelling major rivers and lakes to record-high levels, with authorities warning that the worst was yet to come.

The coronavirus ground zero of Wuhan, through which the Yangtze River winds, is on an expanding list of population centres watching warily as the powerful river's levels in the city of 11 million have hit their third-highest in history and are projected to rise further through the week, according to state-controlled media.