In Guangdong, cities rise to meet flood threat

Government departments in Yingde, Guangdong province, were ordered on Thursday to maintain high vigilance against geological and natural disasters after the flood crest of the Beijiang River passed the city.

City authorities said the departments concerned should continue to be alert for possible landslides, mountain torrents, reservoir and river dike failures and building collapses, as trouble usually comes after floodwaters recede.

"The flood crest of the Beijiang has passed the city, but it remains at a high level and the flow is still large, threatening the lives and property of local residents," the Yingde government said in a statement.

Water in the Beijiang, a tributary of the Pearl River, is receding slowly after the flood crest at 2 pm on Wednesday.

The river, which runs through the city's downtown area, reached as high as 35.97 meters, 9.97 meters above the warning line, when the flood crest appeared, the statement said.