China issues multiple disaster alerts for mountain torrents, floods, waterlogging

BEIJING - China on Saturday evening issued a string of alerts for multiple natural disasters.

The Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has issued an orange alert for mountain torrents in parts of Beijing, Hebei and Shanxi from 8 pm Saturday to 8 pm Sunday. The two departments also issued a red alert for mountain torrents in certain areas.

Local authorities are advised to strengthen real-time monitoring and flood warning procedures amid measures to prepare for evacuation.

The CMA simultaneously issued a yellow alert for floods in some small and medium-sized rivers in parts of Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Chongqing and Xinjiang, and renewed an orange alert for floods in southwestern Beijing, and in central and southwestern parts of Hebei.

Parts of Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi and Henan face waterlogging risks from 8 pm Saturday to 8 pm Sunday, the CMA also warned.

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