Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao recently called on localities along the banks of the Yellow River to prevent ice-related problems in the 5,400-km river.

According to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, more than 1,100 kilometers of the river's main channel froze over this especially cold winter, which has seen the lowest average temperature in the past 13 years.

The headquarters warned that the breakup of the large amount of ice in the river in the coming spring will do significant damage to the banks and dams.

It asked officials at giant dams such as Liujiaxia, Sanmenxia and Xiaolangdi to control the river flow in an attempt to keep disaster at bay.

Meanwhile, local sources said that the frozen parts of the river's middle and lower sections have already started to melt.