Chinese authorities activated emergency responses in central China’s Henan Province and the north-western Shaanxi Province on Wednesday.

The National Disaster Reduction Commission activated a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in Henan caused by heavy rains.

It has also dispatched a team to guide and assist local governments with disaster relief work and rescue efforts, aiming to ensure the basic needs of affected residents are met.

From Wednesday to Saturday, heavy to torrential rain is expected to hit the southern and southwestern parts of Shaanxi.

In response, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters activated a Level-IV emergency response in the province.

The Level-IV response is the lowest in China’s four-tier emergency response system.

China’s National Meteorological Centre on Wednesday continued to issue an orange alert, the second-highest in the country’s four-tier weather warning system, for rainstorms at 10 a.m.

This indicates that heavy rainfall is expected to occur in several regions of the country.

From 2:00 p.m. Wednesday to 2:00 p.m. Thursday, downpours are expected to hit parts of Sichuan, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu, it said. 

(Xinhua/NAN)