Heavy rain, hailstorms hit Guizhou province

GUIYANG -- Heavy rain and hailstorms battered Southwest China's Guizhou province from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, according to the provincial meteorological bureau.

From 2 pm Thursday to 7 am Friday, 11 counties and districts in the province were hit by hailstorms and 22 counties and districts were lashed by rainstorms.

In response to the adverse weather, more than 20 counties and districts in the province have launched hail suppression work. The provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters also initiated an emergency response.

The meteorological and emergency response departments warned that the rainstorms are expected to continue and may trigger floods and geological disasters.