Effects of a (perhaps earthquake-triggered) collapse of the Three Gorges Dam?

[Mithridates]

We've seen the effects of a tsunami in Japan, in terms of the direct death toll and the damage to the nuclear reactors. What would a Three Gorges Dam disaster look like? My guess is that thousands of lives would be lost, because most of the nearby downstream populations have been moved.

[Chogy]

If there was a single class of man-made structures that are resistant to earthquakes, I'd think a billion-ton concrete dam would be one.

I'm just guessing here, but if it takes damage, the worst-case might be some cracking and leaks rather than a full failure. If it did completely fail, it'd be spectacular, and very tragic.

[Officer of Engineers]

If the Chinese don't correct the sentiment problems, you'll get your wish to see the dam busted.

[RollingWave]

If the Chinese don't correct the sentiment problems, you'll get your wish to see the dam busted.

Here's a question, wouldn't the Aswan dam go bust first? seeing that in every sense it's just as risky as the 3 gorges? (and that just about the entire Egyptian population would be effected if the Aswan dam goes boom.)

[bigross86]

Why would an earthquake in China have anything to do with the Aswan dam in Egypt, or vice versa?

[RollingWave]

because he's mostly talking about sediment problem not earthquake problem, my point is that the Aswan dam, being built earlier and covering a river that's even more well known of carrying a lot of silt, should be in trouble a lot sooner than the 3 gorges.

[Double Edge]

We've seen the effects of a tsunami in Japan, in terms of the direct death toll and the damage to the nuclear reactors. What would a Three Gorges Dam disaster look like? My guess is that thousands of lives would be lost, because most of the nearby downstream populations have been moved.

Almost 9 years later to the day this thread was started.

It isn't earthquakes but unexpected rains upstream that has caused the dam to fill to the limit. Think millions not thousands of lives lost and people affected ranging into the tens of millions. The damage to nuclear power reactors will affect Korea

2003: We're good for 10,000 years.
2007: 1,000 years is more realistic.
2008: Maybe 100 years..
2010: No way it will last another 50 years

2020: You're lucky if it lasts until 2021.

Insane : O

What i'm understanding is the pressure of the dam on the ground can create a fault line (!)

[DOR]

The Danba County mudslides were in June.

[Double Edge]

And the first two videos are from last month. Here's the thing.

The rainy season in China is supposed to start in July and goes on until September.

There is more to come.

[Double Edge]

We've seen the effects of a tsunami in Japan, in terms of the direct death toll and the damage to the nuclear reactors. What would a Three Gorges Dam disaster look like? My guess is that thousands of lives would be lost, because most of the nearby downstream populations have been moved.

This series of videos (mostly talk) by a forex trader on the subject of the dam giving way is a lot more detailed. Educational.

Playlist

What to buy or sell in such an event is not included here just pointers

[DOR]

And the first two videos are from last month. Here's the thing.

The rainy season in China is supposed to start in July and goes on until September.

There is more to come.

"China" doesn't have a rainy season; it's a continent, not a country.

The eastern Sichuan Basin has so little in common with the Tibetan Plateau that they shouldn't even be in the same province.

The Yangzi River is a bit under 4,000 miles long, so no climate consistency there. It flows through nine provinces, as well as Chongqing and Shanghai. That's more than a third of the country.

[Double Edge]

The damage to nuclear power reactors will affect Korea

The good news is this nuke thing is incorrect. There are NO reactors along the Yangtze.

Trader confirmed it.

[Dazed]

"China" doesn't have a rainy season; it's a continent, not a country.

I thought PRC/China was a country located on the Asian continent? https://www.statista.com/statistics/...-in-the-world/

Would this make the US, Canada and Russia continents?