Although the third major flood crest since August 24 had safely passed into the Yellow River, the Shaanxi provinical flood control headquarters warned that waters levels on the Wei at the Huaxian section had risen 80 centimeters (32 inches) in recent days, the China Daily reported.

So far, the worst flooding in the region in 20 years has killed at least 38 people and caused direct economic losses of 4.0 billion yuan (481 million dollars), the paper said.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from the Wei River valley and its tributaries and some 46,000 homes have been destroyed.

No rains however were predicted for the coming days, so the flood waters were expected to recede, it said.

Evacuees have been living in schools and makeshift shelters in the region.

"The impact on agriculture may be severe, with crops under three meters (three yards) of water following the breaching of the banks of the River Wei," the International Red Cross said on its website.

People who are suffering from the disaster are also in need of medicine and other supplies, it said.

Epidemic prevention workers were disinfecting shelters and areas where flood waters had inundated residential areas.

The late August floods were unusual in drought-prone northern China, where the rainy season, if it comes at all, usually has ended by early August.

Meanwhile, a flood peak that started with the heavy rains in the Wei River had safely passed down the Yellow River through Shaanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces to the sea, greatly relieving flood pressures on China's second largest river, the People's Daily reported.

TERRA.WIRE