Sand bags are piled up along the Xiangjiang River in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, July 2, 2017. Heavy rainfall caused the river's water level to rise to a record high of 39.21 meters Sunday morning. (Xinhua/Fan Junwei)
China's flood control authority said on Sunday that water levels in more than 60 rivers in southern China were above the warning levels due to sustained rainfalls in recent days.
Days of torrential rain in China's Hunan Province raised the water level of the Xiangjiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River, to exceed its record flood level, according to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
Meanwhile, the water levels in Dongting Lake and several other major rivers in Hunan have all risen above warning levels, worsening the flood control situation.
As of Sunday, more than 500,000 people have joined in the flood control efforts in southern China, said the headquarters.
The headquarters urged local officials to be on high alert against disasters and enhance inspections of reservoirs, hydro-power stations and water conservancy projects.
The National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast on Sunday that rainstorms will hit Guangxi and Hunan from Sunday night to Monday night with precipitation up to 110 millimeters.
