Heavy rains are expected across a large part of China this weekend, including earthquake-affected areas, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said Friday.

South of the Yellow River and the Huaihe River will be hit the hardest.

Rainstorms are also expected to affect areas damaged by the May 12 earthquake last year, including Yunyang County in the Chongqing Municipality and Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province.

The NMC warned of possible flooding, landslides, mud-rock flowsand even hail throughout Sichuan Province, Chongqing Municipality, Guizhou Province, southern Shaanxi Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Anhui Province, Hunan Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangdong Province.

Estimated rainfall in some of those areas could be 100 millimeters or more.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2009)