China's meteorological authority said Monday that torrential rains will hit the country's southern regions over the next three days.

Flood hit Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province on June 25, 2012. [ stcn.com]

Heavy rains and storms are expected in some parts of China's southern provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian and Anhui, as well as Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guizhou provinces in the southwest. Precipitation in some areas may total as much as 160 mm, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Some areas in the southern provinces will also see strong gales and thunder, the NMC said.

On Monday afternoon, the National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs issued an emergency response plan urging local civil affairs departments to fully prepare for the upcoming rains so as to "reduce ensuing damage as much as possible."

According to the ministry, residents in the south should be ready to take precautions against the rains, while local governments must ensure that relief personnel and materials are sent to disaster-hit areas as soon as possible.

"Local civil affairs departments should open emergency shelters in advance and the evacuation and resettlement of affected residents must be carried out properly. Around-the-clock duty personnel should report disaster information to higher authorities in a timely manner," said the plan.

Meanwhile, the NMC forecast moderate to heavy rains in northwest China, including Qinghai and Gansu provinces, over the next three days.

The rainy weather will help ease high temperatures in the north, according to the NMC.

The NMC said torrential rains battered most of Beijing Sunday night, adding that the capital will experience mostly cloudy weather over the next three days.