BEIJING - Heavy rains are expected to sweep China's southern and northeastern areas over the next three days, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said Tuesday.

Affected by a southbound cold front, heavy rains will fall in Southwest and South China, as well as regions along the Yangtze, Huai and Han rivers from Tuesday to Thursday, the NMC said.

Some parts in provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Guizhou, Hunan, Anhui and Jiangxi, as well as Chongqing municipality will see rainstorms, with precipitation reaching up to 130 mm, the center said.

A heavy downpour started to quake-hit county of Yiliang in northeast Yunnan early Tuesday morning, triggering floods and forcing thousands to evacuate.

During the period, heavy rains and rainstorms are also likely to soak ?China's northeastern regions, including Inner Mongolia autonomous region and provinces of Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning, the NMC said.

Meanwhile, the center predicted that most parts of the country will see temperatures drop by four to eight degrees Celsius in the next three days.

Temperatures will drop as much as 10 degrees Celsius in Inner Mongolia, the center said.