As rainfall continues, Hu said, affected regions are vulnerable to disasters such as floods in small or medium rivers, mudslides and mud-rock flows, and the public must cut outdoor electricity and suspend outdoor operations as precautions.

The National Flood and Drought Control Office and the Ministry of Emergency Management on Monday urged first responders to prioritize people's lives and interests as they moved to forecast future deluges and relocate affected residents.

The two agencies said they have deployed more than 28,000 firefighters and relocated 34,700 people.

By Sunday, the sustained rainstorms had affected 12.1 million people scattered across 13 provincial regions south of the Yangtze River, killing 78, ruining almost 80,000 hectares of crops and leading to 25.7 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) in direct economic damages, according to the ministry.