What would happen if the Three Gorges Dam collapsed?

Factual Questions
1

I’m just curious, but what would happen if the Three Gorges Dam in China suffered a catastrophic collapse? I don’t know how such a collapse could happen, but let’s just say for the sake of argument that the dam suddenly bursts. How many would die? How much damage would be done? What would the long-terms effects be? How would the world outside China be affected?

I’ve seen a few websites speculating on such a disaster and the consensus is that the results wouldn’t be pretty. So what’s the SDMB’s take on this?

2

With around 10 cubic miles of water rushing through one of the most populous river valleys anywhere, I think you can take that to the bank.

3

apologies in advance for a IMHO answer to at GQ. I’m not that sure actually. I think it depends on where? Hubei Province would probably be flooded pretty badly. However, the Yangzi river has natural lakes that fill up and deplete depending on the water level (yancheng lake near suzhou for example). also the Yangzi’s level is relatively low these days, so not sure how the flow would overcome the current flood levels. I don’t think Shanghai would be affected. Of course, maybe chongming island would be flooded over?

[hijack]I just went through the 3 gorges a month ago for the first time. I would absolutely not recommend that anyone take the trip. whatever historic significance is underwater and the the 3 gorges are no longer really gorges. It’s more the Yangzi *lake *cruise rather than the 3 gorges cruise these days.[end hijack]

4

All the cities I have on that continent lose electricity and I have to rebuild it before the AI for another country manages to build it … because coal plants and nuke plants put out pollution that I have to send fast workers to fix.

What?

5

I love that game.

6

Another IMHO here: if the dam breached with water at or near the top of the dam (the dam is 610 feet high), the flood wave would be that depth for a good ways downstream. After looking at its location and the reach of the Yangtze between the dam and the Yellow Sea, I think that the breach flow would be much greather than what the river and lakes could absorb. The flooding would probably extend down to the Yellow Sea - and into areas of Shanghai.

A dam breach analysis has probably already been done (during the design process) for a few different breach scenarios. It isn’t likely that we could find that information online for security reasons.