BEIJING, June 19 -- Chinese authorities have allocated 916 million yuan (about 126 million U.S. dollars) to flood and drought response work in the country's southern and northern regions, and to support disaster relief efforts, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday.

The figure includes 499 million yuan to support flood control and relief efforts, as well as safety measures, in Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei.

A total of 417 million yuan is being provided to support Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi and Gansu in their water conservancy and drought relief efforts.

The Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration on Wednesday issued an orange alert for potential mountain torrents in Guizhou and Qinghai. Localities have been advised to take preventive measures to ensure the safety of local residents, including real-time monitoring work, flood prevention warning issuance and relocation efforts.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.