China issues highest alert for flash flood risks amid heavy rain forecast

China's Ministry of Water Resources and the National Meteorological Center jointly issued a red alert for flash flood risks at 6 pm on Friday, urging authorities in relevant provinces to step up real-time monitoring and prioritize the evacuation of residents as heavy rainfall is expected to lash parts of the country over the next 24 hours.

According to the warning, valid from 8 pm Friday to 8 pm Saturday, parts of southern Heilongjiang, central and northeastern Sichuan, southwestern Shaanxi, and southern Gansu will be at high risk of flash floods. Within these areas, some localities in southern Heilongjiang, northeastern Sichuan, southwestern Shaanxi, and southern Gansu face an extremely high risk — corresponding to the red alert level.

A red flash flood warning is the highest and most urgent alert in China's four-tier weather warning system, signaling that life-threatening floods are imminent and immediate evacuation is required.