The sluices of Wangjiaba, a key hydrological station on the Huaihe River, were opened Tuesday noon to divert the floodwater to adjacent Mengwa buffer zone. (Xinhua Photo)

The Huaihe River originates at Mount Taibai, central China's Henan Province, and runs eastward between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, cutting through Henan and east China's Anhui and Jiangsu provinces before entering the Yangtze River via the Hongze Lake.

Continuous torrential rain since late June has caused widespread flooding across China, especially in southern areas, including the Huaihe River valley, the provinces of Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu, and Chongqing Municipality.

In Anhui, floods have left 26 people dead and three others missing and also affected more than 12 million people, triggering nearly 4.4 billion yuan of economic losses.

Nationwide, the death toll in the seven flood-hit provinces hasrisen to 131 and another 31 are missing, the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported on Tuesday.

Nearly 1.2 million people in these provinces had been evacuated by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, and more than 99,000 houses have collapsed and another 407,100 have been damaged.

Altogether 2.67 million hectares of farmland have been affected, with agricultural losses estimated at 5.8 billion yuan (about 763 million U.S. dollars) while total direct economic losses could reach 9.9 billion yuan, according to the ministry.

The government has sent a working team, headed by executive deputy minister of civil affairs, Li Liguo, to the flood-stricken areas in Sichuan to direct disaster relief work.

More rains are expected in Sichuan, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces and Chongqing Municipality, according to weather forecasts.

Vice Premier Hui Liangyu told a conference on Tuesday that flood control in the Huaihe River valley is in a "critical" period and he urged local governments at all levels to do their utmost to combat the disasters and help rebuild flood-stricken areas.

Editor:Zhang Yongheng