China renews yellow alert for rainstorms

BEIJING - China's national observatory on Monday renewed a yellow alert for rainstorms across vast stretches of the country for the next 24 hours.

From Monday morning to Tuesday morning, heavy rain and rainstorms are expected in the regions of Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang and Jilin, the National Meteorological Center said.

Some of these regions will see up to 60 mm of hourly precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, the center said, warning that some regions in the provinces of Hubei and Hunan will experience downpours with up to 150 mm of daily rainfall.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Local authorities should take necessary precautions against possible flooding, landslides and mudslides caused by heavy rain and halt outdoor operations in hazardous areas, the national observatory said.