BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains were forecast for most parts of already-drenched southern China over the next 10 days, and some areas could experience torrential rains, strong gales and thunderstorms, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said on Sunday.

    Precipitation in most southwest provinces, including Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunan, would be 30 percent to 70 percent heavier than in the same period last year, the CMA said.

People collect their belongings submerged in the flood in Jiling Village, Bao'an District of Shenzhen City, south China's Guangdong Province, June 13, 2008. Local weather department issued red alert signal for rainstorm on Friday. The heavy rain that hit Shenzhen City Friday has caused severe inundation, landslides, walls collapse and six people dead. Local departments are busy organizing the relief works now. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Downpours would further raise river levels, inundate many regions along the Pearl River and cause a major flood at the Xijiang River, the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters warned.

    The Xijiang River, the western tributary of the Pearl River flowing through Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong, surpassed alert levels in many sections. It was 4.89 meters above the warning level at the Wuzhou monitoring site at 1 p.m. Saturday, according to the headquarters.

    According to the central observatory, rainfall in most of the southern provinces exceeded 100 mm in the past three weeks, with totals as high as 500 mm to 700 mm in parts of Guangdong, Guangxi and Anhui provinces.

Teachers and students clear mud and water at the gate of the Pingle Middle School in Pingle County, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, June 14, 2008. Local residents began to clear away mud after the flood ebbed and Pingle County is now out of danger. The heavey rainstorm sicne June 11 caused flood in Pingle County, which had been once isolated by the flood. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The continuous rain wreaked havoc across the south, disrupting traffic, damaging crops and causing blackouts in some areas.

    Floods had forced more than 1.27 million people to evacuate, with 55 dead and seven missing in nine provinces as of 9 p.m. Saturday.

    Vegetable prices soared amid tight supplies in some flooded regions. In the worst-hit Guangdong Province, vegetable prices jumped 30 percent to 70 percent on Saturday alone in the cities of Guangzhou, Shantou, Chaozhou and Shaoguan.