China issues rainstorm alert for south and northeast

BEIJING - China's national observatory on Saturday issued a blue alert for rainstorms expected to hit the country's southern and northeastern regions over next three days.

In the coming 24 hours, some parts in Hubei, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia will see heavy rains, with ocassional thunderstorms and hailstones, the National Meteorological Center said.

The center urged local authorities in south China to strengthen monitoring over rivers and reserviors to guard against possible geological disasters.

The national observatory uses a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red being the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.