Uninterrupted torrential rains have ravaged east China's Jiangxi Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China, taking water levels of major rivers above flood warning limits.

A source from Jiangxi provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said the province had been affected by heavy rainfall since Friday. Rain in seven counties had exceeded 200 mm, and over 100 mm had fallen in 40 other counties.

The water level at Hezhou hydrometric station on the Tongjiang, a tributary of the Ganjiang, was 1.01 meters higher than the flood warning limit on Saturday, and that on the Xinjiang was 0.31 meters above the threshold.

The northern part of Guangxi has reported heavy rains since last Saturday. The famous scenic city of Guilin has had 161 mm of rain, and six counties have had more than 100 mm.

The water level on the Liujiang reached 146.48 meters on Sunday, 0.91 meters higher than the river’s flood warning threshold, and those on the Guijiang and Longjiang were also above warning levels.

According to local meteorological observatories, heavy rainfall is expected to persist in both Jiangxi and Guangxi over the next three days.

Local governments have organized ongoing relief operations.

(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2005)