The Chinese military sent hundreds of soldiers to help shore up levies with sandbags in southern China, an area which is currently facing a massive flood crisis after it went through the devastating 7.9 earthquake and its following aftershocks.

Numerous soldiers are working to shore up the levies of China’s second-longest river while meteorologists forecasted more heavy rain in the following days. At least 63 people were reported dead in the past month according to local authorities, which brings the country’s overall flood death toll to at least 171.

The massive flooding also affected China’s economy. The bad agricultural output caused an increase of food prices and inflation, a phenomenon which concerned the Chinese authorities, who expressed their fears that such an occurrence would spark social unrest.

Authorities are currently working to reinforce embankments in nine cities of the hard-hit Guangdong province, including the provincial capital, Guangzhou, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

At leas 30,000 people were evacuated in Zhaoqing, a city along the Xijiang River in western Guangdong, according to Chinese broadcaster CCTV. About 13 people are missing in nine southern provinces and at least 200 people are dead or missing in southern China, the state broadcaster informed.

The Meteorological Administration expressed its worries about the rising waters on central China's Yellow River, the country’s second-longest after the Yangtze River. Officials said that the reinforcing process is a “crucial phase” because the heavy rain forecasted for the next few days will surely push the water to very dangerous levels.