BEIJING, July 9 -- China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Tuesday activated a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in Jiangsu Province, east China.

From Tuesday to Saturday, heavy rain to torrential rain are expected to hit the southern part of the Huang-Huai region, and areas between the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers, said the Ministry of Emergency Management, citing weather forecasts.

The weather authorities on Tuesday issued a yellow alert, the third-most severe warning, for rainstorms in the region.

The Level-IV response is the lowest in China's four-tier emergency response system.