SHANGHAI -- China on Friday raised the emergency response for flood control for the Taihu Lake basin to Level I, the highest in a four-tier emergency response system, as heavy downpours continued to lash nearby regions.

As of 7 am Friday, the water level in Taihu Lake, one of the country's largest freshwater lakes, had risen to 4.65 meters, reaching the guaranteed level, according to the website of the Taihu Basin Authority of the Ministry of Water Resources.

The guaranteed water level refers to the upper limit of water level that ensures the safety of embankments and affiliated projects.

It is predicted that the water level in Taihu Lake will continue to rise and the flood control situation in the basin remains grim.

Since June, continuous downpours have lashed large parts of southern China, and the waters of many rivers in the affected regions have exceeded warning levels.