China renews yellow alert for severe convective weather

BEIJING -- China's meteorological authority on Saturday renewed a yellow alert for severe convective weather in vast stretches of the country.

From 2 pm Saturday to 2 pm Sunday, thunderstorms, gales and hail will sweep parts of Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Short bursts of heavy rainfall with maximum hourly precipitation exceeding 70 millimeters will lash most regions of the country, including parts of Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan, Fujian, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong and Taiwan, the center said.

It has urged relevant authorities to prepare for emergencies and adopt traffic control measures at airports, railways, expressways and waterways to ensure safety.

The center has also suggested checking drainage systems in cities, farmlands and fishponds, and making preparations 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.