With the nation preoccupied with the immense relief and reconstruction tasks in Sichuan Province, the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, or SFDH, has warned that another capricious high-water season may be on the horizon.

By Thursday, the deadliest rainstorms of the year had left 48 people dead, 25 missing, and numerous homes in ruins.

A commentary carried by the country's English newspaper China Daily stresses that the nation will have to prepare for the worst while praying for the best.

Hydrological authorities in the central province of Hubei have forecast both a summer drought and potentially severe flooding on the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

After days of heavy rainfall swept many of the country's southern provinces, the SFDH has activated aN emergency response program, and dispatched teams of experts to those provinces to supervise flood prevention.

The paper says, the areas cannot afford to be caught unprepared.

Moreover, the paper reminds flood prevention is also important in the quake-hit areas as it is especially important to stay vigilant about the mounting danger of flooding to prevent further damage.

The China Daily has reported that more than 2,000 dams across the country suffered varying degrees of damage from the May 12 tremor, which will inevitably exacerbate conditions on the rivers.