Low Rhine water levels have forced German chemical producers including Covestro and BASF to curtail sales or production of certain petrochemical products; they have begun issuing force majeure notices to customers.

The Ministry of Water Resources and China South-to-North Water Diversion Group said that as of Aug 10 Phase I transfers on the east and middle routes have exceeded 90.0 bln cubic meters; middle-route Phase I transfers exceeded 80.05 bln cubic meters and east-route Phase I transfers exceeded 9.95 bln cubic meters.

Typhoon White Dolphin (the year’s 13th storm) dropped 104.8 mm of cumulative rain on the eastern Hangjiahu plain. At 20:40 on Aug 9 the Jiaxing gauge on the canal rose to 2.00 m, hitting the flood-number threshold and registering the canal system’s first numbered flood of 2026 (Hangjiahu plain Flood No.1). Forecasts call for concentrated rain over the next 24 hours; together with water-management operations, Jiaxing water level is expected to rise further.