China issues blue alert for blizzard

BEIJING - China's meteorological authority has issued a blue alert for heavy snowstorms in the northern region from Sunday to Monday morning.

The National Meteorological Center said heavy snow will hit parts of Shaanxi, Shanxi and Hebei provinces as well as Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Beijing municipality, with three to five centimeters of snowfall expected.

In some areas, blizzards are expected to drop over seven centimeters of snow, it said.

The center urged local authorities to take precautions with roads, railways, electricity infrastructure and telecommunications, and advised residents to reduce unnecessary outdoor activities.

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