China renews blue alert for rainstorms

BEIJING - China's National Meteorological Center on Wednesday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in multiple regions of the country, calling for precautionary measures.

From 8 pm Wednesday to 8 pm Thursday, downpours are expected in parts of Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Hubei, Shaanxi, Henan, Yunnan, Tibet and Inner Mongolia. Parts of Chongqing Municipality will see up to 150 mm of rainfall.

Some of these areas are likely to encounter over 60 mm of hourly precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms and gales, said the center.

It has advised local authorities to prepare for rainstorms, suggested schools and kindergartens take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of children, and reminded drivers to watch out for road waterlogging and traffic jams.

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