China maintains orange alerts for torrential rain and geological disasters

Heavy rain continued to batter parts of central and eastern China on Wednesday as the remnants of Typhoon Dolphin combined with other weather systems, prompting authorities to maintain orange alerts for torrential rain and geological disasters.

The National Meteorological Center on Wednesday renewed an orange alert for heavy rain, the country's second-highest warning level, forecasting heavy to torrential rain from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon in parts of Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Zhejiang, Shandong and Hebei provinces, as well as Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin.

Parts of western and central Henan along mountain areas could see exceptionally heavy rainfall of 250 to 280 millimeters.

The rain is expected to be accompanied by short-duration intense rainfall, with hourly precipitation of 20 to 50 mm and locally more than 80 mm, as well as thunderstorms and strong winds in some areas.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the China Meteorological Administration jointly issued an orange alert for meteorological risks of geological disasters at 8 am Wednesday.

From Wednesday to Thursday, parts of Beijing, Hebei, Zhejiang, Henan and Hubei face high risks of rainfall-triggered geological disasters.

Local governments and relevant departments are urged to implement emergency plans and strengthen monitoring and prevention measures.

People in areas under orange geological disaster alerts who are threatened by known hazards or high-risk zones should evacuate promptly to designated shelters when instructed by local authorities.