Chinese President Hu Jintao has ordered the country's flood prevention and control departments to make full preparation for possible floods as parts of southern and central China were hit by floods over the past week, official sources said Monday.

President Hu urged flood prevention and control authorities, local governments, the People's Liberation Army, the armed police, and police to well prepare for greater floods to ensure safety, and make adequate arrangement for the daily life of residents displaced by floods, sources said.

Major floods usually take place in late July and early autumn in China. Serious floods have already occurred in some areas so far.

About 60,000 residents in central China's Henan Province were transferred to safe areas during the past few days after sections of the swelling Lihe River overflowed and parts of the embankment even burst.

Latest information from the central authorities showed there were no casualties during the emergency relocation in Henan, and the water level in the river began to decline over the weekend. Most of the relocated residents have returned home.

Dangerous situations concerning embankments were reported in several sections of the Shaying River and Hongru River, tributaries of the Huihe River, as major floods hit upper reaches of the rivers in the province and water levels exceeded warning levels.

The flood posed a threat to the Henan section of Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and major cities along the railway.

Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, also head of the State Flood Control and Prevention Headquarters (SFCPH), asked local authorities and related departments to carry out the instructions by President Hu and step up efforts in flood prevention and disaster-relief work.

The SFCPH and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have allocated 24 million yuan (US$3 million) in emergency fund and provided 1,000 tents to areas hit by floods in Henan Province.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2004)