BEIJING - South China has entered its flood season earlier than normal, the country's meteorological authority said on Friday, asking relevant departments to strengthen disaster prevention.

Flood season hit South China on March 28, nine days earlier than in previous records, as the averaged precipitation in the region doubled from a year ago to 116.8 mm, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said.

South China experienced a roller-coaster shift of rainfall this spring. Guangzhou, for example, experienced 63 percent less rain between January and March 19 than the average in previous years, but rain has since then fallen every day in the metropolis on all but two days.

CMA Director Zheng Guoguang asked local authorities to closely watch for storms and beef up efforts to avoid injuries caused by extreme weather.