NANCHANG, July 12 (Xinhua) - East China's Jiangxi Province Saturday raised its flood-control response from level II to level I, the top level of China's four-tier emergency response for floods.

The provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said that 2,242 km of the 2,545 km of riverside and lakeside embankments in the province have seen water levels exceeding the warning marks.

People build temporary dyke for flood prevention in Lushan City, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Peng Zhaozhi)

Armed policemen move sandbags for dyke reinforcement at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Floods since July 6 have affected over 5 million people and damaged over 443,000 hectares of crops, according to the headquarters Saturday.

The province has evacuated 405,000 people from flood-prone areas, with a total of 154,000 people in urgent need of living assistance.

Armed policemen carry emergency supplies for dyke reinforcement at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Local villagers load sand into bags for dyke reinforcement at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

More than 41,700 people are fighting the floods in Jiangxi, aided by 537 sets of mechanical equipment.

The province has increased patrol forces for round-the-clock monitoring of risks along the embankments.

Aerial photo taken on July 11, 2020 shows people reinforcing temporary waterproof dyke to stop the flood at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Armed policemen move sandbags for dyke reinforcement at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Rescuers build a temporary waterproof dyke to stop the flood at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Local villagers move sandbags for dyke reinforcement at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

An armed policeman moves sandbags for dyke reinforcement at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)■