Meteorological experts warned more torrential rain will hit most parts of southern China in the next three days.

As the country enters the rainy season, the government has urged officials at all levels in charge of flood control to fulfil their duties.

Torrential rains last week killed 71 people, left 13 missing and affected 10.6 million people, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said yesterday.

About 643,000 people were evacuated.

Six provinces and regions in southern China - Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Jiangxi and Fujian - were hit by the rainstorms. They suffered about 3.4 billion yuan in losses due to flooding and mudslides.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Supervision yesterday issued a list of names of officials in charge of flood control of major rivers, key reservoirs, flood storage areas and cities.

The officials will be required to stay at their posts, collect correct information about the flood situation and make timely work arrangements.

"Those who cause serious damage due to dereliction of duty will be investigated under the law," according to a statement on the headquarter's website.

Guangdong was one of the hardest hit provinces.

According to the provincial flood control and drought relief department, the rainstorms had caused direct economic losses of up to 700 million yuan in Guangdong Province.

In Heyuan, a mountainous city, the death toll had climbed to four as of yesterday afternoon, and two are still missing, sources with the municipal government said.

In Meizhou, a total of 49 roads were affected by the floods, of which 29 are still closed.

The floods also disrupted rail traffic through Meizhou. Two train services between Shantou and Shenzhen, and Shantou and Guangzhou, have stopped operating.

Fujian and Jiangxi provinces in East China also reported serious damage yesterday.

"Continuous heavy rain is forecast for the next three days. We must keep a close eye on further flooding," said Huang Zhong, a chief weather forecaster with the Guangdong provincial meterorological bureau.

(China Daily June 12, 2007)