China's Inner Mongolia on highest alert for mountain torrents

HOHHOT, July 14 (Xinhua) -- North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Thursday night issued a red alert for mountain torrents amid predicted heavy downpours.

Fierce rainstorms are expected to lash central and eastern parts of the region between Thursday night and Friday night, according to the region's meteorological service and water resources authority.

As a result, officials said possibilities of mountain torrents are high in Xing'an League, while floods are predicted in several local rivers.

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

"We are patrolling the embankment and monitoring the water level 24 hours a day," said Ma Qingyi, director of the water resources bureau of Ulanhot, a city in Xing'an League.

Ma said the city is also in close contact with upstream reservoirs to regulate the water storage and tide the city over the flood.