China activates Level-IV emergency flood response in Xinjiang

BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) — The Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level-IV emergency flood response in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday in anticipation of severe rainfall and potential flooding.
From Saturday to Monday, heavy to torrential rains are forecast in China’s northwestern, northern and southern regions, with potential small and medium-sized river floods.
On Saturday, the National Meteorological Center renewed a blue alert for rainstorms, with heavy rainfall expected to continue to lash several regions of the country.
From 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday, torrential rain will sweep parts of Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Yunnan and Taiwan, according to the center.
Areas in Guangdong will see up to 140 mm of rainfall, while some places in these regions will experience short-term heavy rainfall, with 70 mm or more of hourly precipitation, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales.
The meteorological center has advised local governments to implement appropriate preparations and check drainage systems in cities, farmland and fishponds.
China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. ■