BEIJING -- China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Monday elevated its emergency response to flooding in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Guangdong to Level-III, the third-highest in the country's four-tier emergency response system.

The four regions are forecast to experience heavy rain from Monday evening through Tuesday, with some local areas expected to be hit by torrential downpours.

Working teams dispatched by the office of the headquarters are continuing to assist with flood prevention efforts in Beijing, Hebei and Guangdong.

On Monday evening, the office, along with the Ministry of Emergency Management, also convened a meeting to deploy precautionary measures against heavy rainfall in some key regions across the country.