China's central authorities Thursday dispatched a disaster survey and relief team to the southern province of Jiangxi where rain-triggered floods this week have affected more than 3 million people and killed four, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Torrential rain started to batter south China on Monday, pelting some 52 counties in nine municipalities, said the ministry, citing reports from the province's civil affair agency.

As of 7 a.m. Thursday, the floods in Jiangxi had affected 3.18 million people, leaving four dead and 223,000 displaced, the ministry said. It added that some 10,000 houses had collapsed and 16,000 more were damaged.

As part of the country's emergency response to the floods in Jiangxi, the ministry, along with the National Disaster Reduction Commission, had sent a team to survey the disaster and assist the province in recovery from the floods.