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China's Ministry of Water Resources on Sunday launched a Level IV emergency response for flood control in six provincial-level regions, namely Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing Municipality, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

A working team was dispatched to Central China's Hunan Province to guide local flood-control efforts, and another team was also dispatched to Chongqing to guide urban waterlogging management and geological disaster prevention and response, China's Ministry of Emergency Management announced in a statement on Sunday. 

Heavy rain is forecast to hit parts of southwestern and southern China from Sunday to Tuesday, with torrential to extremely heavy rainfall expected in areas in the six provincial regions. Parts of these regions are expected to see extremely heavy rainfalls accompanied by intense short-term downpours, according to a statement obtained by the Global Times from the ministry. 

The ministry said rising water levels are forecast in major rivers across these areas, with some small and medium-sized rivers in heavy-rainfall areas likely to exceed flood warning levels. Authorities also warned of a high risk of flash floods in mountainous and hilly regions. 

To prepare for potential flooding, the ministry has been holding daily assessments of flood risks and has taken precautionary measures, per the statement. 

On Sunday, the ministry issued a notice to order local authorities to step up preparations for heavy rainfall, with a particular focus on protecting the exam sites of the national college entrance examinations, or gaokao, from river flooding and flash-flood risks to ensure public safety. The exams kicked off nationwide on Sunday.  

In addition, the ministry issued targeted alerts to 10 provincial-level regions including Jilin, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Guangdong, listing high-risk counties (cities and districts), reservoirs, and flash-flood zones, and calling for strengthened preventive measures ahead of heavy rainfall. 

The Changjiang Water Resources Commission and the Pearl River Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources have also activated a Level IV emergency response for flood prevention and are implementing targeted flood-control measures, the ministry said. 

On Sunday, China's Ministry of Transport activated a Level II response for heavy rainfall defense following the orange alert for heavy rain issued by the National Meteorological Center (NMC), China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday. 

It is forecast that between 2 pm on Sunday and 2 pm on Monday, multiple places including Chongqing, Guizhou, and Guangxi will experience heavy to torrential rainfall. Extremely heavy rain of up to 330 millimeters is forecast in parts of southeastern Guizhou and northern Guangxi, according to CCTV.