BEIJING, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang on Tuesday urged local authorities to intensify flood control and disaster relief work.

Wang, who is also the general director of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, told a conference that local authorities should not underestimate the urgency of flood control at present.

This year began with unfavorable weather conditions, and the rainy season arrived earlier than usual due to a super El Nino, Wang said, adding that some southern parts of the country were already seeing torrential rain.

Wang said local governments must put the people first, check for any weaknesses in flood control measures and allocate disaster relief in a timely manner to minimize losses.