Fresh rainstorm warning issued for Tianjin

Tianjin meteorological bureau upgraded its blue rainstorm warning to yellow early on Sunday morning. Ninghe, Dongli and Baodi districts, as well as Binhai New Area, followed suit by upgrading their rainstorm warnings.

As of Sunday morning, hourly rainfall in Panzhuang town, Ninghe had exceeded 100 millimeters, with rainfall continuing in Panzhuang, Zaojiacheng and Dongjituo towns and nearby areas.

The meteorological station in Ninghe district upgraded its blue rainstorm warning to red at 6:34am on Sunday, advising citizens that the risk of disasters is extremely high, and extra precautions should be taken. The heavy rainfall may cause urban waterlogging, flooding of farmland and traffic congestion.

As of Sunday morning, localized hourly rainfall of in excess of 50 millimeters had been recorded in Baodi, Wuqing, Ninghe and Beichen, and the central urban area of Tianjin.

Last weekend, heavy rain in Jizhou district damaged several villages. Following the issuance of recent rainstorm alarms, Jizhou district responded swiftly, with 2,130 people relocated as of Saturday night.

Jizhou issued a yellow meteorological risk warning for geological disasters. The warning stated that from 8pm on Saturday to 8pm on Sunday, due to the combined effects of heavy rainfall and prior rain, the risk of geological disasters in the northern mountainous areas was high. Patrols, monitoring and prevention were being strengthened at potential hazard points and dangerous areas such as steep slopes. Authorities stated that, with timely reporting, any anomalies would prompt immediate evacuation of individuals at risk.

The local government has reminded residents, passersby and drivers of vehicles to closely monitor unusual changes in nearby mountain areas. People in densely populated areas such as tourist spots, schools and on main traffic routes should be extra vigilant and promptly avoid any hazards upon detection.