China on blue alert for rainstorms

China's weather authority on Friday issued a blue alert for the next 24 hours for rainstorms that will sweep the country's southern regions.

Torrential rain will lash parts of Sichuan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Zhejiang from Friday night to Saturday night, with precipitation expected to reach up to 150 millimeters, the National Meteorological Center said in a statement on its website.

Some of these areas will also see thunderstorms and strong wind, according to the statement.

The center suggested that people living in the affected areas avoid outdoor activities and take precautions against possible landslides, mud flows and rock falls.

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