Flood control authorities said Tuesday that an emergency response has been launched for floods that have occurred in several eastern rivers following heavy rains.

Two citizens see torrential water on the bank of the Yangtze River in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, July 9, 2012. [Xinhua]

Since July 5, the Yi, Shu and Si rivers in the Huai River basin have received an average of 141 mm of precipitation, causing the Yi and Shu rivers to flood, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said in a statement on its website.

A flood peak at the Linyi Hydrologic Station on the Yi River reached 61.73 meters as of 1:30 p.m., marking the highest level in almost ten years, the statement said.

The headquarters has asked local flood control authorities in Shandong and Jiangsu provinces in east China to strengthen monitoring, issue flood warnings in a timely manner and beef up patrols of dikes and water gates.

A team has been sent to the area to assist in flood control efforts, the statement said.

The Huai River basin covers China's Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces in east China.