China renews blue alert for sandstorms

BEIJING -- China's national observatory on Thursday evening renewed a blue alert for sandstorms in some regions in the northern and northwestern parts of the country.

From 8 pm Thursday to 8 pm Friday, floating sand and dust are expected to hit some parts of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Gansu and Ningxia, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Some areas in the southeastern part of Xinjiang, the western part of Inner Mongolia, and the central part of Gansu will even experience sandstorms, the center said.

People have been advised to take precautions against wind and sandstorms, and drivers have been asked to prepare for poor visibility.

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