China launches level-IV emergency response for floods

BEIJING -- China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters launched a level-IV emergency response for flood control Saturday as heavy rains lashed parts of East China's Jiangxi province.

Since May 3, Yichun, Fuzhou, and Ji'an of Jiangxi have experienced heavy downpours. On Saturday morning, Qingfeng dike, located in Yichun, was breached.

A rescue team of more than 1,000 people was quickly assembled to carry out emergency rescue after the dike breach.

The local government should pay close attention to organizing emergency rescue, strengthen the inspection of dikes, ensure the safety of vital infrastructure such as the Beijing-Kowloon Railway, and properly resettle and transfer the residents, according to the headquarters.

Heavy rainfall is forecast to batter parts of Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong from Saturday to Sunday.

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