China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Wednesday dispatched a team to assist and guide flood prevention and control work in Heilongjiang Province, the Ministry of Emergency Management said.
Due to persistent heavy downpours, 11 rivers in the northeastern province saw flooding exceed warning lines on Monday.
A search and rescue drill in Heihe City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, June 20, 2024. /CFP
The headquarters is maintaining a Level-III emergency response to flooding in Hunan, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi, with some of these provinces reporting flooding exceeding alert marks.
Heavy rains are forecast to hit the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, with rising water levels reported in the river, Taihu Lake and nearby river networks, according to the headquarters and the ministry.
The ministry has urged efforts to plan and implement effective flood prevention and control measures in river basins, improve the accuracy of early warning information, and ensure the operations of emergency communication networks.
China also activated a Level-IV emergency response for disaster relief on Wednesday, following flooding and disasters triggered by heavy rains in central China's Hunan Province.
Some 30,000 disaster-relief materials, including tents, foldable beds and mattresses, have been allocated to Hunan and Hubei.
China has a four-tier flood-control emergency response system, with Level I being the most urgent response.
(Cover: The water level of the Songhua River rises due to continuous rainfall, overflowing the lower steps of the river bank, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, June 22, 2024. /CFP)