China on yellow alert for incessant rainstorms

BEIJING -- China's national observatory issued a yellow alert for rainstorms on Friday as incessant downpours continued to wreak havoc in vast stretches of the country.

From Friday morning to Saturday morning, heavy rain and rainstorms are expected in parts of Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hebei, Shanxi, Yunnan and Tibet, the National Meteorological Center said, warning that some areas of Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei and Hunan will experience downpours with up to 180 mm of daily rainfall.

Some of the aforementioned regions will see more than 70 mm of hourly precipitation, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, the center said.

The center advised local authorities to remain alert for possible flooding, landslides and mudslides, and recommended halting outdoor operations in hazardous areas.

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

Since June, continuous downpours have lashed large parts of southern China, and the waters of many rivers in the affected regions have exceeded warning levels.