BEIJING, June 21 -- A total of 105 million yuan (14.7 million U.S. dollars) has been allocated to support the urgent restoration of flood-damaged roads, the Ministry of Finance said on Friday.

The funds will be used promptly to restore roads that have been destroyed by flooding in Guangdong, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou, and ensure safe traffic during the flood season, according to the ministry.

Persistent rainfall has battered many of China's southern regions this summer, damaging roads and buildings, and leading to casualties.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Friday activated a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in Jiangsu, and maintained a Level-IV response in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Chongqing and Guizhou. It also downgraded the response in Guangxi from Level III to Level IV.