Water levels remain dangerously high

Sandbags are piled up to prevent the water from overflowing on the riverbank of Xiangjiang River in Changsha, July 4, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

"We have lived in Changsha for about 10 years and see the city as our second home. It's our responsibility to contribute," noodle chef Ma Weishan told China News Service.

To facilitate flood control work, 5.5 million woven bags and 5.5 million square meters of waterproof cloth strips have been dispatched to the province, according to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

Since Friday, heavy rain in southern China has killed 56 people and left another 22 missing in 11 provincial regions, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Tuesday.

It also said a total of 27,000 houses collapsed and 37,000 others were damaged due to floods, landslides and hailstorms in these regions, including Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces, with direct economic losses estimated at 25.27 billion yuan ($3.71 billion).

On Monday, the central government allocated 1.88 billion yuan to 20 provinces for disaster relief.

The ministry and the China National Commission for Disaster Reduction have sent teams and materials, including 3,300 tents, 24,000 folding beds and 30,000 blankets, to assist disaster-hit areas in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces.

Xinhua contributed to this story.