Outflow was raised to the highest ever, 48,800 cubic meters per second.
The current record high water level is expected to peak at 168 meters this Sunday, in the fourth major flood (sixth official flood) of this exceptionally heavy monsoon season (twice last year's rainfall).
The Sichuan provincial government (upstream from Three Gorges) declared on Tuesday a level 1 emergency alert for the first time in history.
Floodwaters have wet the feet of the giant Buddha Statute of Leshan (near Chegdu), for the first time since the communists seized power there.
The last group of 180 tourists had to be rescued from the statue, as the waters rose.
