China issues orange alert for blizzards

BEIJING -- China's meteorological authority on Wednesday issued an orange alert for blizzards in several provinces and advised residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities.

Snowstorms will hit parts of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and Hebei provinces and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Authorities should strengthen inspection and maintenance of roads, railways, power and communications lines and work to ensure that public transport not be disrupted by blizzards, the center said.

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