The water level of main rivers in northern and central part of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, exceeded the warning line due to torrential rains and ensuing floods beginning from late last week, according to officials with local flood-control and drought relief headquarters on Tuesday.

Statistics from hydrography stations showed that the water level of Qianjiang, Xunjiang and Xijiang rivers, three main streams of the region's water system, have topped the warning level, said officials.

Sources with Guangxi regional hydrology bureau said that the, the water level at Wuxuan Hydrography Station of Qianjiang River reached 62.12 meters at 5 PM Tuesday, 7.12 meters higher than the warning level, the water level at Dahuangjiangkou Hydrographic Station of the Xunjiang River reached 35.97 meters, 6.97 meters higher than the warning level, and the water level at Wuzhou Hydrographic Station of the Xijiang River reached 23.56 meters, 6.26 meters higher than the warning level.

Water levels of all the three rivers are still on rise. At 6 PM Tuesday, the flood peak of about 37 meters high will arrive at Dahuangjiangkou Hydrographic Station of Xunjiang River, and the flood crest of some 26 meters high will reach the Wuzhou Hydrographic Station of Xijiang River, according to a forecast from Guangxi Hydrology Bureau.

So far, heavy, torrential rains and ensuring floods have claimed seven lives with another one still missing in Guangxi.
 
(Xinhua News Agency June 22, 2005)