China raises level of emergency response to Typhoon Wipha in Guangdong, Hainan

BEIJING -- China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Sunday upgraded its emergency response for flood and typhoon control to Level III in the southern provinces of Guangdong and Hainan in response to Typhoon Wipha.

It maintained the Level IV emergency response to the typhoon in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

According to meteorological forecasts, Wipha is likely to bring rainstorms and heavy downpours to parts of Hainan and Guangdong from Sunday to Monday.

Meanwhile, a batch of relief supplies had been dispatched to Guangdong and Hainan by central authorities including the office of the national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief, the Ministry of Emergency Management, and the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration. These supplies comprise 33,000 items such as folding beds, quilts and lamps.

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