China officially entered its annual flood season on Wednesday, with water resources authorities across the country stepping up preparedness for what is projected to be a challenging year for flood and drought control, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

From Sunday to Tuesday, torrential rains battered regions including Guangdong, Jiangxi, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, as well as the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Over the three-day period, areas with cumulative rainfall exceeding 50 millimeters covered approximately 154,000 square kilometers, said the ministry in a media release on Wednesday.

Based on China's established criteria, the ministry confirmed Wednesday as this year's official start of the flood season, a date that aligns with the multi-year average, it said.

The ministry said forecasts show that this year's flood season is expected to feature pronounced regional and phased patterns of both flooding and drought, with the two extremes expected to be equally severe.

The country is expected to face more frequent localized extreme torrential rains and floods, along with the potential for typhoons to track northward and affect inland areas, it said.

Periodic drought may occur in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the northern part of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The ministry has activated its 24-hour duty mechanism to maintain flood vigilance, mandating all-out efforts from its officials across the country to safeguard people's lives and property.

Adhering to the principle of putting people and lives first, water resources authorities countrywide must strive to ensure no casualties, no reservoir breaches, no major levee failures, and no damage to critical infrastructure, it said.

They must also ensure the safety of drinking water supplies, meet seasonal irrigation demands for farmland, and guarantee water security for large-scale livestock operations, the ministry added.

The ministry also pledged to strengthen monitoring, forecasting, and early-warning mechanisms to enhance flood control.

Based on the close monitoring of evolving trends in rainfall, hydrology, and flood conditions, water resources authorities will conduct rolling consultations to assess potential risks, promptly activate emergency responses with corresponding coordinated measures, and ensure that early warning information reaches the front lines of defense, it said.

They will enhance safety monitoring, inspection, and patrol of critical structures such as reservoir dams, vulnerable levee sections, and flood control structures crossing levees, "ensuring that risks are detected, addressed, and eliminated at the earliest possible stage".

The ministry underscored flooding in small and medium-sized rivers and mountain torrents as key priorities in its flood control efforts, emphasizing that risk warning mechanisms for such disasters must be reinforced to safeguard the safety of local residents.

According to the ministry, it has accelerated the work to repair water resources infrastructure damaged by floods.

Currently, 2,355 of the 4,242 key infrastructure repair projects have been completed. The remaining projects are expected to be finished before the main flood season arrives, with flood control capabilities restored.