With heavy rain continuing to fall in parts of China and more to follow, the risk of widespread flooding looms large.

The China Meteorological Administration has warned that heavy rain is expected in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, with no let up in the torrents in sight for Southwest China.

"Parts of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces are likely to be particularly badly affected by heavy rainstorms," the administration said.

In Central China's Hunan Province, where weekend floods claimed 25 lives and left thousands homeless, three more bouts of heavy downpours are expected over the next 10 days.

"Nearly all of the province will be affected by the coming rounds of rain, and regional flooding and landslides are likely to take place," local meteorological authorities warned.

Provincial Party Secretary Yang Zhengwu yesterday urged local governments to take more effective measures to combat the threat of flooding.

"The weather in the province is abnormal this year because the season of rainstorms has come nearly one month earlier than usual," said Yang.

Meanwhile, prolonged drought has been hitting some parts of North China and Northeast China.

Drought has caused a sharp drop in water level at the Harbin section of the Songhu River in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, its lowest point ever recorded.

The level was 1.39 meters lower than that of last year, which was also a record low.

If there is no major rain, the river's water level will continue to decline, said a local hydrometeorological bureau official.

The flooding in Hunan has sounded the alarm in other provinces and cities accustomed to annual deluges and they are on high alert.

The government of Chongqing Municipality, located along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, yesterday issued an urgent circular, requiring all flood-control organizations to be well prepared to fight possible floods.

Weather forecasts, flood reports and inspections are required to be frequent and timely throughout the rainy season.

Drizzle and moderate rain has occurred in the city and surrounding regions since 15 May. But all the rivers in and around Chongqing are currently running at a safe level and below the danger line.

In Central China's Hubei Province, anti-flood defences were described as satisfactory.

But maintaining a heightened state of flood alert on reservoirs and small and medium-sized rivers has topped the agenda of the local government, said provincial official, surnamed Liu.

Rainstorms are common occurrences in the province during the rainy season, posing a challenge for the province's 5,800 reservoirs, most of which are now 30-40 years old.

"Hidden dangers are prone to occur in the reservoir region," Liu warned.

This year's rainfall has, to date, been heavier than in previous years.

During the January-April period, rainfall in the provincial capital Wuhan totaled 493 millimeters, over 50 per cent higher than in average years, weather statistics indicated.

(China Daily May 22, 2003)