China's top meteorological authority on Thursday warned that rainstorms will hit regions along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, an area that has been previously plagued by a severe drought.

Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou in southwest China, as well as the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Jiangxi, will see heavy rains on Thursday and Friday, according to a National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast.

Heavy rainstorms will also hit some regions in central China's Hunan, Hubei and Anhui provinces, it warned.

The NMC also said that regions along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze will continue to see rainy weather next week.

The NMC said that drought-hit regions should take the opportunity to conserve water during the storms, but it also warned local governments to take precautionary measures to shore up river banks and reservoirs to avoid any possible floods or landslides.