Beijing, Jul 18 (IANS): China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters Office on Thursday sent an additional working team to the northwestern Shaanxi Province to aid local flood relief efforts.

Though overall rainfall in the regions along the Yellow River and Huaihe River has weakened, the main rainband persists from the Sichuan Basin to these regions, meaning the flood control situation remains severe, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management, reports Xinhua news agency.

The office, ministry and other government departments on Thursday deployed joint flood relief measures in seven provinces, including Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shaanxi.

In response to severe rainstorms and flooding in Shaanxi, the office of the National Disaster Reduction Commission and the ministry, together with the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, have allocated 55,000 central relief supplies such as folding beds, emergency kits and quilts to flood-hit areas.

Central emergency relief materials such as rubber boats, outboard engines and drainage pumps have been allocated to Henan to support local flood relief efforts. Emergency forces and equipment have also been deployed to Henan for dike reinforcement, water drainage and personnel transfers.