He added that he hopes Russia will exploit the advantage of its upstream reservoir to cut the flood’s crest and scale down the floods.

China would offer necessary help to Russia’s disaster relief efforts, Li said, expressing the hope that the two countries can work together to keep the flood damage to a minimum.

In Northeast China’s Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, the heartland of the country’s grain production, flooding had claimed at least 85 lives and left 105 missing as of Aug 20 due to persistent downpours since Aug 14.

Hardest hit was Fushun, Liaoning, with 76 dead and 88 missing. A memorial service for the victims was held in the city on Saturday.

More than 1.25 million people in Heilongjiang had participated in relief and rescue operations as of Sunday, according to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

Floods triggered by rainstorms also hit Henan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Anhui and Gansu provinces in the past few days, leaving at least nine dead and two missing as of Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.