China renews blue alert for severe convective weather

People walk amid the rain in Beijing, capital of China, July 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorological authority on Thursday renewed a blue alert for severe convective weather in vast stretches of the country.

From 8 p.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Friday, thunderstorms, gales, and hail will sweep parts of Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Henan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian, said the National Meteorological Center.

Short bursts of heavy rainfall with hourly precipitation exceeding 60 millimeters will lash parts of Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu, the center said.

It has recommended reducing outdoor activities. Vessels operating in or transiting affected waters should return to port or detour.

The center has also suggested checking drainage systems in cities, farmlands, and fishponds and preparing for flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and other disasters.

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