BEIJING, Sept. 5 -- The Hanjiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River, has seen its first flood of the year following torrential rain, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

Due to heavy rainfall at the upper reaches of the Hanjiang, the water flow at a hydrological station on the river's main stream surged to 7,010 cubic meters per second on Friday evening, surpassing the warning threshold of 7,000 cubic meters per second to meet the flood criteria.

The ministry has stepped up flood-control measures, launching a Level-IV emergency response in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Efforts have also been taken to strengthen rainfall and flood forecasting, enhance monitoring and early-warning procedures, and improve preparedness for flooding in smaller tributaries.

The ministry also initiated a Level-IV flood response in the southwestern Sichuan Province, and issued flood-situation bulletins in regions such as the southwestern Chongqing Municipality and central China's Hubei Province.