China issues orange alerts for rainstorms, mountain torrents

BEIJING, July 9 -- China's national observatory issued an orange alert on Wednesday, warning of downpours in some regions of the country.

From 8:00 p.m. Wednesday to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, heavy rains and rainstorms are forecast to hit parts of the provincial-level regions of Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Henan, Hebei and Inner Mongolia, the National Meteorological Center said.

Parts of Fujian in east China and Guangdong in south China are expected to experience torrential rains -- with precipitation of up to 300 mm, the center added.

The center has advised local authorities to take precautions for heavy rainstorms, and suggested that necessary drainage measures be implemented in urban areas and across farmlands.

The Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration, meanwhile, issued an orange alert for mountain torrents in Fujian, east China's Jiangxi and Guangdong on Wednesday.

Authorities in the above-mentioned regions are urged to strengthen real-time monitoring work, issue timely warnings and carry out evacuations, if necessary.

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