China renews blue alert for rainstorms

BEIJING -- China's National Meteorological Center on Monday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in various parts of the country and called for precautionary measures.

From 8 am Monday to 8 am Tuesday, downpours are expected to lash parts of Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei and the Sichuan Basin, with some areas experiencing up to 120 mm of rainfall, according to the center.

Some aforementioned regions are likely to encounter over 60 mm of hourly precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms and gales.

The center has advised local governments to make preparations for the rainstorms. Drivers have been alerted to watch out for flooding and traffic jams.

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