China renews blue alert for rainstorms

BEIJING -- China's National Meteorological Center on Saturday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in multiple regions of the country, calling for precautionary measures.

From 8 am Saturday to 8 am Sunday, heavy downpours are expected in parts of Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Henan, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces as well as the Sichuan Basin, with up to 120 mm of rainfall in certain areas.

Some of these areas are likely to encounter over 70 mm of hourly precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms and gales, said the center.

It has advised local authorities to prepare for rainstorms, suggested schools and kindergartens take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of children and reminded drivers to watch out for road waterlogging and traffic jams.

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