More floods have been forecast for China this month, the regions in the middle reaches of Yellow River and Yangtze River, Liaohe River and Haihe River likely to be the most seriously affected, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

The CMA made the announcement at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.

Wang Bangzhong, a senior official from the CMA said that the country's average temperature in June was 22.3 degrees Celsius and the average rainfall 136.9 millimeters, both higher than the same period in previous years. Between June 17 and 25, heavy rainfall caused severe floods in areas south of the Yangtze River. Water levels in the Xijiang River of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were at their highest since 1949; the swelling of the Minjiang River caused the area's worst flood in 21 years.

Further, devastating floods engulfed a school in northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province claiming the lives of 117 people, including 105 schoolchildren.

As at June 28, violent rainstorms, hailstorms and tornados in more than 20 provinces and regions had resulted in 3.4 billion yuan (US$410.8 million) in direct economic losses, Wang said.

The forecast issued by the administration on Monday shows more rainfall will slash areas south to the Yangtze River in July, and areas such as northwestern Hunan and eastern Guizhou can expect rainfall about 20 to 30 percent more than average. Rainfall in eastern, central southern, and southwestern areas will be more than 100 millimeters, Rainfall in the Three Gorges and south China areas are expected to reach 200-300 millimeters.

More rain, about 20 to 30 percent more than average, is also expected in northeast China, the middle and eastern parts of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the northern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northern Hebei Province and the middle reaches of Yellow River, Haihe River and Liaohe River.

(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2005)