The floods in South China continue as the death toll rose to 171.

Guangdong Province was facing the threat of serious flooding as two swollen rivers converged in the Pearl River Delta on Monday, resulting in a flood equivalent to a worst in 50 years.

The danger of serious flooding is made worse by the pull from the moon, which is rising to its most powerful point in the month on Wednesday, posing a threat for river embankments across the delta.

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region bordering Guangdong on Monday also ordered two cities along the Xijiang River to reinforce embankments as heavy rains continued.

More than 70,000 people were relocated on Monday in Guangxi.

Storms hit 12 towns in southern parts of Guizhou Province on Sunday and Monday, leaving more than 400 houses inundated and crops damaged.

Hunan Province to the north of Guangdong on Monday claimed victory in fighting the first flood in the province this year with the flood crest passing the provincial capital of Changsha safely.