HEFEI — The Huaihe River Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources on July 20 raised the emergency response for flood control to Level I, the highest of the four-tier emergency response system, due to the grim flood situation.

The water level at the Wangjiaba hydrological station on the main course of the Huaihe River rose to 29.66 meters by 6:36 am on July 20, exceeding the guaranteed level of 29.3 meters, according to the commission located in the city of Bengbu, East China's Anhui province.

The guaranteed water level refers to the upper limit of the water level that ensures the safety of the embankments and affiliated projects.

The 1,000-km-long Huaihe River is one of China's major waterways, running through the east of the country between the Yangtze and Yellow rivers.

The main course of the Huaihe River is facing rising flood risks, as heavy rain is forecast in the region over the next three days, the Ministry of Emergency Management warned July 19.

Floods will pose a threat to parts of Shanxi, Henan, Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, while mountain torrents will likely hit parts of Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, as well as Chongqing Municipality, it said.