China's earthquake-hit region braces for heavy rain

BEIJING - A southwestern Chinese county that was battered by a deadly earthquake two weeks ago will see heavy rain in the next two days, the national observatory forecast Sunday.

Rain showers started early Sunday morning in regions near Ludian county of Yunnan province, where a 6.5-magnitude earthquake on Aug 3 killed 617 people and left thousands of others injured, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said in a statement.

The rain will become heavier over the next two days, the center said, adding that precautions must be taken against possible rain-triggered disasters such as landslides and mudslides.

A 5.0-magnitude earthquake hit Yongshan county, about 150 km north of Ludian, on Sunday morning. The NMC also warned the county against negative impacts of the rain.

The NMC said heavy rain will affect the western and northeastern parts of Yunnan, and parts of Guizhou, Sichuan, Chongqing and Guangxi in the southwest over the next 24 hours.