China launches emergency response to floods in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

BEIJING -- The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters activated a Level-IV emergency response to floods in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region on Monday, in anticipation of severe rainfall and potential flooding.

From Monday to Tuesday, heavy to torrential rains are forecast in the region, giving rise to high risks of floods and waterlogging, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM).

To support local relief efforts, the MEM has worked together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in dispatching unmanned aerial vehicles to central China's Hunan Province.

The MEM and the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration have also allocated disaster relief materials worth 4.41 million yuan (about $618,000) to Northeast China's Liaoning province.

The China National Commission for Disaster Reduction activated a Level-IV disaster relief emergency response on Monday after rainstorms triggered floods in Northeast China's Jilin province.

The Commission has dispatched a team to guide and assist Jilin with disaster relief work and rescue efforts.

China has a four-tier emergency response system for flood control, with Level I being the most urgent response.