BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Monday activated a Level-IV emergency response for flood control for the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Guizhou, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM).

Rescuers work at the site where a pickup truck plunged into a river in Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, May 18, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

Two working teams were dispatched to Jiangxi and Guizhou to help guide local flood-control efforts.

Earlier in the day, the headquarters' office and the MEM convened a joint meeting with relevant government departments to assess recent rainfall trends and coordinate flood prevention measures for key regions.

The meeting was told a new round of heavy rainfall is expected to sweep across southern China from June 29 to around July 3. The rain is expected to last for an extended period and bring substantial accumulated precipitation, with many of the affected areas overlapping those hit by earlier downpours, posing heightened risks of river flooding, mountain torrents, geological disasters and urban waterlogging.

The flood-control situation is expected to become more challenging as the summer holiday approaches, bringing more water-related tourism and recreational activities, the meeting heard.

Authorities at the meeting called for officials responsible for flood control at all levels to be in place. Local authorities were also urged to strengthen flood defenses along rivers, refine contingency plans for the use of flood detention and storage areas, and pre-position emergency relief supplies and communication equipment.

China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe.