ANKARA 

Chinese authorities have allocated nearly $70 million to aid regions affected by recent heavy rains and floods, as the country braces for continued downpours with an orange alert issued by the National Meteorological Center.

According to Xinhua News, the Ministry of Finance and Emergency Management released 496 million yuan ($69.59 million) to support flood control efforts across Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangdong, and Guangxi.

This follows an earlier release of 346 million yuan to these provinces as preemptive support amidst ongoing severe weather conditions.

On Thursday, China's National Meteorological Center issued an orange alert, the second highest in its four-tier warning system, forecasting torrential rains across Chongqing, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Xizang until Friday morning, according to China Daily.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.

The recent deluge has already claimed over 60 lives, with casualties reported from landslides and flooding. Last week, 47 fatalities were recorded in Guangdong, and eight people remain missing following a landslide in Hunan's Douxi village.

In addition, authorities recovered six bodies in Fujian after landslides struck the southeastern province.

Heavy rains have struck southern China since the annual flooding season got an early start, destroying thousands of low-lying houses and damaging roads and crops.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid