China renews orange alert for drought

BEIJING - China's national observatory continued to issue an orange alert for drought on Monday as heatwaves persist in multiple regions.

Parts of Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Chongqing, Sichuan and Tibet have experienced moderate to severe droughts, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Moderate to heavy rains are forecast to ease droughts in some parts of Henan, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Sichuan, Chongqing and Tibet over the next three days, the center said.

It advised local authorities to utilize emergency water sources and dispatch available water sources within their regions to ensure the continued supply of water, particularly for urban and rural residents and livestock.

It also suggested promoting strict water conservation measures and producing artificial rainfall when necessary.

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