BEIJING, May 21 (Bernama) -- Ten provinces and municipalities in southern China were on blue alert against the second round of torrential rain in the next three days which could worsen the existing flood.

China's National Meteorological Center forcast that heavy rain in southern China would probalbly continue until the end of this month.

It said torrential rain with hailstones would strike Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Yunnan and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region starting Friday night.

Local governments and departments were told to activate flood control and relief measures to minimise losses from the flood.

Severe rainstorm that had struck 12 provinces and municipalities since early May, had already caused floods and landslides, hampering livelihood and food production of the area.

The affected provinces include Yunnan, Sichuan, Fujian, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangxi and Guangdong.

As of May 18, 16 provinces and municipalities were hit by floods, with Hunan, Guangdong, Chongqing, Jiangxi provinces suffering heavy loses.

So far, 70 people died and 21 people are missing in the floods with 835,000 hectares of crops destroyed.

Last Friday, heavy rain and the partly flooded runway had resulted in over 50 flights being delayed at the Baiyun International Airport.

The Guangdong Province Meteorological department said, Guangzhou's total rainfall in the first half of May alone had reached 440 mm, which is equal to one quater of Guangzhou's annual rainfall. (By VINCENT LOW/Bernama)