China activates Level IV flood response in Sichuan

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Water Resources on Wednesday activated a Level IV flood emergency response in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

From July 30 to August 3, parts of central and southeastern Sichuan are expected to experience heavy to torrential rains, causing significant water level rises in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and its tributaries, including the Minjiang, Tuojiang and Jialing rivers, the ministry said.

Some medium and small rivers in the rainstorm-hit areas may also experience relatively large floods, with high risks of mountain torrents, according to the ministry.

It has urged local authorities to step up monitoring and forecasting of rain and water conditions, strengthen safety oversight of reservoirs, and reinforce patrols and inspections to ensure early detection and management of risks, thereby preventing dam breaches.

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