Flood emergency response activated in parts of China

BEIJING - China's Ministry of Water Resources on Saturday activated a level-IV emergency response for flood risks in certain areas in northern, eastern and northwestern China.

From Saturday to Wednesday, heavy rains will lash Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Henan and Shaanxi, causing water levels to rise sharply on the regions' rivers, said the ministry.

Multiple rivers are expected to see water levels exceed their warning lines, according to the ministry.

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