China renews alerts for rainstorms, strong winds

BEIJING, Oct. 17 -- China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Friday renewed alerts for rainstorms and strong winds in some parts of the country.

From 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, heavy rains are forecast to hit parts of Chongqing, Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hunan and Guizhou, the center said.

It noted that some parts of these regions could experience heavy rainfall, with hourly precipitation highs exceeding 50 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales.

Local governments have been urged to make appropriate preparations and fulfill their related responsibilities accordingly.

The NMC also renewed a blue alert for strong winds, warning that from 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, strong winds are expected in parts of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and provinces of Qinghai, Liaoning, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Sichuan.

From 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, gales are expected to sweep parts of the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the Bashi Channel and the South China Sea, according to the NMC.

The NMC has issued a reminder for all ships and personnel navigating and operating in sea areas affected by the strong winds, urging them to promptly return to ports for safety.

Relevant departments have been called upon to prevent fires in forests, grasslands and urban areas, as well as ensure transport security.

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