China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Tuesday activated a Level-IV emergency response for Beijing, neighboring Tianjin and Hebei Province, citing forecasts of heavy to torrential rainfall across the region. The Ministry of Emergency Management said two task forces had been sent to Beijing and Hebei to help local authorities coordinate flood prevention and disaster-relief efforts. Beijing separately raised its own alert to Level III, the third-highest tier in the city’s four-level system, and issued multiple severe weather warnings as thunderstorms swept the capital. Meteorologists expect extremely heavy downpours in parts of Beijing and Tianjin as well as central and northeastern Hebei starting Tuesday. The move comes amid an active flood season that has already pushed 330 rivers nationwide above warning levels, with 77 surpassing safety thresholds, according to the Ministry of Water Resources. Officials cautioned that the country remains in its main flood-control period and could face further extreme weather events in the weeks ahead.