TAIYUAN - The largest flood crest in nearly 40 years has led to a dyke breach in a section of the Fenhe River, a major tributary of the Yellow River, in North China's Shanxi province.

The dyke of the Fenhe River near Qiaodong village in Xinjiang county was breached at about 5 pm. Thursday, said the municipal publicity department of Yuncheng, which administers Xinjiang county.

The Xinjiang section in the lower reaches of the river is facing the largest flood crest in nearly four decades due to recent continuous rainfall and more water from the upper reaches.

More than 300 people were working to block the breach nearly 20 meters in length.

Local authorities have heightened and consolidated 13.7 km of the river dykes and evacuated 17,631 residents.