China renews blue alert for rainstorms

BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center on Sunday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in parts of the country.

From 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, heavy rainfall and rainstorms are expected in parts of the provincial-level regions including Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Tibet and Chongqing, according to the center.

The center warned that some areas of Jiangsu and Anhui will experience downpours with up to 150 mm of rainfall during the period.

Some regions will also see thunderstorms, strong winds and hail, the center said.

It advised local authorities to remain alert for possible flooding, landslides and mudslides and recommended halting outdoor operations in hazardous areas.

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