China activates emergency response for rainstorms

BEIJING, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The China Meteorological Administration on Tuesday activated a level-IV emergency response for rainstorms as heavy downpours are forecast to lash vast parts of central and east China in the coming days.

From Tuesday to Thursday, heavy rain will spread from southwest China's Sichuan Province and the central Hubei Province to Henan, Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hunan and Jiangxi, said the National Meteorological Center.

The downpours will move southward to Zhejiang and Fujian from Friday to Sunday, while the northern parts of the country will experience a return to pleasant weather.

Affected by surface cyclones, regions around the confluence of the Yangtze River and its tributary, the Han River, along with northern China, will experience strong winds from Wednesday to Thursday.

Meteorological experts warn against entry to areas prone to mountain floods in Hebei, Henan, Hubei and Anhui, and call for due preparation against road safety risks heightened by the rainy weather on returning trips at the end of the May Day holiday.

China has a four-tier emergency-response system for rainstorms, with Level I being the most severe.