China raises emergency response level to floods

China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Tuesday raised its emergency response for flood control from Level III to Level II, given the floods in the tributaries along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and more heavy downpours.

The move followed an upgrade from Level IV to Level III on Friday, as the Minjiang, Tuojiang, and Jialing rivers all saw deluges. The Cuntan hydrologic station in southwest China's Chongqing is expected to see water levels rise above the safety mark by four to five meters.

The headquarters has sent two ministerial-level task forces to Chongqing and the neighboring Sichuan Province to guide and assist local authorities in their flood control efforts.

The Yangtze River, China's longest, on Monday recorded the fifth flood of the year in its upper reaches after a spell of heavy rainfall.

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