The Pearl River Water Resources Commission raised the flood warning level to its highest when water in the Pearl River basin rose above warning lines on Tuesday night.
The water level in the Pearl River basin will continue to rise and will remain high for a quite long time, and the risk is extremely severe and complex, the commission said in a statement released on Wednesday.
It has issued a special notice to the Guangdong provincial government requiring further implementation of flood control measures, including intensified monitoring, forecasting and early warning, and proper water storage and diversion.
Guangdong was also ordered to strengthen the safety of reservoirs, to inspect and strengthen embankments, and to prevent mountain torrents in flood season.
The province was also urged to spare no effort to rescue and evacuate people living in threatened areas and to ensure the safety of people"s lives and property and the safety of important dikes in the Xijiang and Beijiang rivers, the two main tributaries of the Pearl River, as well as the safety of city clusters in the Pearl River Delta.
In Shaoguan, authorities have begun to evacuate residents living in low-lying areas or other potentially dangerous places after the city raised its flood risk level to the highest on Tuesday morning.
The city, located in northern Guangdong, has been hit by catastrophic flooding — the worst in 50 years — the local water resources department said.
