China renews yellow alerts for downpours, heat

BEIJING -- China's national observatory on Saturday renewed a yellow alert for rainstorms, as incessant downpours would continue to wreak havoc in vast stretches of the country.

From Saturday morning to Sunday morning, downpours are expected in parts of Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou and Yunnan, the National Meteorological Center said in a statement on its website.

Some of the aforementioned regions will see over 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.

Also on Saturday, the center renewed a yellow alert for high temperatures in the country's southern areas and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Parts of Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Xinjiang will see temperatures range from 37 to 39 degrees Celsius and even exceed 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday.

Relevant authorities should guard against fires caused by excessive power consumption and heavy load of power equipment, the center said.

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