Authorities say at least 9 people have died in flooding in China, with more heavy rain forecast for the region in coming days.

The strong rain began falling in Hunan province over the weekend, washing away roads and forcing residents to seek refuge in upper stories of houses. China’s national observatory said more rain is expected across a wide swath of central and southern China.

In Guangdong province along the southeast coast, more than 20,000 people were forced to seek shelter, with local government offices providing hundreds of tents along with bottled water and clothes in the worst-hit areas of Zhaoqing and Qingyuan.