GUIYANG/BEIJING – Heavy downpours have hit multiple provinces in southern China, prompting the launch of flood-control measures to deal with potential risks and ensure the annual national college entrance exam is conducted smoothly.

On Monday, Fujian province activated a Level-IV flood control emergency response, as some areas are forecast to receive up to 200 mm of precipitation within 24 hours. Local authorities have ordered evacuations from high-risk areas and inspections of exam venues.

Guangdong province activated a Level-IV flood control emergency response on Monday. As continuous heavy rain is expected to heighten the risks of flooding and geological disasters, local authorities have placed education, transportation, power supply, public security and fire departments on standby. Emergency response teams have been stationed at key exam venues, urban flood-prone areas and critical power facilities.

In Southwest China's Chongqing, torrential rain lashed western and southeastern areas from Sunday morning to Monday morning, pushing water levels at nine local rivers above warning marks. Local authorities have launched an emergency response plan, with personnel dispatched to eliminate road safety risks and offer emergency services near exam sites.

Nearly 10,000 residents evacuated

Torrential rain battered parts of Southwest China's Guizhou province from Saturday to Sunday, triggering floods and forcing the evacuation of nearly 10,000 residents.

The hardest-hit areas included Qianxi city, Zunyi city and Changshun county.

In Qianxi, continuous downpours from Saturday through the early hours of Sunday affected all 30 townships in the city, with five townships experiencing exceptionally heavy rainfall.

Local authorities launched around-the-clock emergency response operations. So far, emergency teams have evacuated 1,377 residents from 491 households and rescued more than 50 people trapped.

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Meanwhile, in Changshun county, more than 3,000 residents from about 1,000 households in villages downstream of the Bancong reservoir were safely relocated after a power outage affected reservoir operations and led to overflow.

At 6 pm on Sunday, China's Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration jointly issued a top-level red alert for mountain torrents, warning of a high risk of flash floods in parts of southeastern Guizhou from 8 pm Sunday to 8 pm Monday.

In response, local authorities in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture strengthened monitoring of 27 rivers and mobilized thousands of officials and flood-control personnel.

As of Sunday evening, 4,582 residents from 1,322 households in Qiandongnan had been evacuated in advance, while the evacuation of another 21,754 residents from 7,213 households is underway.