China issues highest alert for mountain torrents

BEIJING - Chinese authorities on Sunday issued a red alert for possible mountain torrents in parts of the country.

From 8 pm Sunday to 8 pm Monday, eastern and northwestern parts of Zhejiang province will be highly prone to mountain torrent disasters, according to the red alert jointly issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration.

Southeastern parts of Anhui province are also likely to receive mountain torrents during the period, said the authorities in an orange alert.

The agencies advised local authorities to strengthen real-time monitoring and flood warnings amid measures to brace for evacuation.

Mountain torrents are caused by heavy rain, which is frequent in summer.

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