BEIJING -- The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Thursday activated a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

In the next four days, torrential rain is expected to lash Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and northeastern regions, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM).

Meanwhile, the headquarters maintained a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia. The National Disaster Reduction Commission maintained a Level-II emergency response for flood-hit Hunan province.

The MEM said its emergency rescue center has sent 405 people and 261 units of equipment to help with flood control and rescue operations in Sichuan, Hunan and Liaoning.

China has a four-tier emergency response system for flood control, with Level I being the most urgent response.