BEIJING: China warned of risks from heavy downpours across multiple parts of the country on Monday, with storms concentrated in the northwestern Shaanxi and southwestern Sichuan provinces where residents have been evacuated from high-risk areas.
The national forecaster retained its second-highest level precipitation alert for various parts of the country on Monday, especially around northwestern Shaanxi, southwestern Chongqing, Guizhou and Guangxi, and in southern Guangdong.
The Shaanxi meteorological observatory raised its storm alert and warned of waterlogging and flash floods. Authorities have relocated 87,987 people since July 30.
Torrential rainfall in the northern parts of the low-lying Sichuan Basin and other areas has triggered eight geological disasters in cities including Yibin, Ziyang, Meishan and Guangyuan, CCTV reported.
No casualties have been reported but Sichuan authorities evacuated another 40,249 people across 20 cities on Monday as a preventative measure.
The total number of people relocated for safety in the southwestern province rose to 922,058 since the flooding season began in mid-July, according to CCTV.
The Natural Resources Ministry said numerous rivers nationwide have risen above warning levels and issued a red alert for flash floods in central Chongqing.
In Yunnan, continuous heavy downpours are forecast from Monday to Thursday, with high risks of flash floods, geological disasters and river flooding.
In China's east, coastal areas can expect the effects of Typhoon Dolphin later this week, with wind and rain appearing from Thursday into the weekend, CCTV said. - Reuters
