BEIJING, May 24 -- The Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level-IV flood-control emergency response on Sunday for Anhui, Henan, Chongqing and Shaanxi, while maintaining the same level of response for Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan.

From Sunday to Wednesday, heavy rainfall is expected to sweep across eastern and northern parts of southwest China, eastern parts of northwest China, areas between the Yellow River and the Huaihe River, areas between the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River, as well as the northern and western parts of areas south of the Yangtze River. Some small and medium-sized rivers in high-risk areas could exceed warning levels.

The ministry has urged local authorities to strengthen real-time monitoring of rainfall and water-level conditions and issue early warning information in a timely manner.

Special emphasis should be placed on ensuring the safe operation of reservoirs during the flood season and stepping up flood prevention efforts for smaller rivers and mountain torrents, according to the ministry.