China renews blue alert for rainstorms

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center on Tuesday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in some parts of the country.

From 2 p.m. Tuesday to 2 p.m. Wednesday, rainstorms are expected in parts of regions located south of the Yangtze River and the southern part of China, while heavy downpours of up to 150 mm of rainfall may lash parts of regions including Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Fujian, the meteorological center said.

Some regions will also experience short-term heavy rainfall, with over 50 mm of hourly precipitation in some places, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales.

The meteorological center has advised local governments to make appropriate preparations and check drainage systems in cities, farmlands and fishponds.

Drivers have been alerted to watch out for flooding and traffic jams, and schools and kindergartens have been asked to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of students.

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