China braces for flooding caused by Typhoon Talim

BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Water Resources said it will continue taking precautions against flooding and heavy rains triggered by Typhoon Talim in south China.

Talim, the fourth typhoon of this year, made landfall in the coastal area of Guangdong Province on Monday night, followed by a second landfall in the neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region early Tuesday. From 8 p.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Thursday, Talim is forecast to bring heavy downpours to these two regions and other parts of China, including Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Chongqing and Jiangsu, said the ministry.

The Beilunhe River and its tributary in Guangxi had both seen water levels rising above flood-alert marks, said the ministry on Tuesday.

The ministry is maintaining its Level IV emergency response for flooding with four of its working groups on sites to provide guidance on flood control. China has a four-tier flood-control emergency response system, with Level I being the most urgent response.

China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Tuesday lowered its emergency response for typhoons and flooding to Level IV.