BEIJING (Xinhua): China's meteorological authorities on Monday issued an orange alert for rainstorms, the second-highest level in its four-tier warning system, across parts of the country.
Heavy rain is expected in regions including the capital Beijing and neighboring Hebei and Tianjin, as well as Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hubei and Hunan, on Monday and Tuesday, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast.
Some regions will see up to 280mm of rain fall within 24 hours, according to the NMC.
It advised local authorities to prepare emergency response measures, and remain on high alert for natural disasters such as flash floods and mudslides.
The center also issued a blue alert for severe convective weather in multiple regions of the country from Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon.
Thunderstorms, gales and hail will hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Chongqing and Hunan, according to the center.
The center forecast that from late July to early August, China's southwest, northwest, north and northeast regions will see a 20 to 40 percent increase in rainfall compared to the same period in previous years. Some parts of these regions may even see precipitation double during the period.
On Monday, the Ministry of Water Resources upgraded the emergency response to flooding in Liaoning and Jilin to the third-highest level, as heavy rain lingers in the two northeastern provinces.
Six work teams have been deployed to assist with flood prevention efforts. The ministry also urged local departments to reinforce water infrastructure and relocate residents at risk as soon as possible.
The ministry, together with the China Meteorological Administration, has issued a red alert, the highest level, for mountain torrents in southwestern Chongqing Municipality, with risks mounting from Monday evening to Tuesday evening.
Some areas in Shanxi, Henan, Sichuan and Shaanxi are also highly prone to mountain torrents, according to the two government agencies. - Xinhua
