China renews yellow alert for rainstorms

BEIJING -- China's national observatory on Monday renewed its yellow alert for rainstorms as incessant downpours continue to wreak havoc across vast stretches of the country.

From Monday morning to Tuesday morning, heavy rain and rainstorms are expected in the regions of Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan and Heilongjiang, the National Meteorological Center said.

Some of these regions

will see more than 80 mm of hourly precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, the center said.

Local authorities are advised to remain alert for possible flooding, landslides and mudslides, and halting outdoor operations in hazardous areas is recommended.

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.

China on Saturday upgraded its emergency response for flood control from level IV to level III amid the incessant downpours.

China has a four-tier flood control emergency response system, with level I representing the most severe.