Further rain storms continue to cause severe flooding in the Yangtze River, and they have left at least 164 people dead and 26 missing.

Meanwhile, more are forecast to hit the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Sichuan Basin later this month.

In the next few days, downpours are expected in the provinces of Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Precipitation may reach up to 200 millimeters in some areas and the country can expect up to four more rain storms before the end of the month.

Residents of southern and central China are bracing themselves for even more flooding in the coming days. In central China's Hubei province, authorities have detonated a dike to bring down surging water levels. Thirty tons of explosives were used to demolish the 3.7-kilometer-embankment that separates Liangzi Lake - the second largest lake in Hubei - and Niushan Lake. More than 1,600 people were evacuated in the operation.

WUHAN, July 14, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A dike between the Liangzi Lake and the Niushan Lake is blown up in central China's Hubei Province, July 14, 2016. Armed police destroyed the 3.7-kilometer-long embankment separating the Liangzi Lake and the Niushan Lake on Thursday to disperse surging floodwater. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)