China on orange alert for rainstorms

China's meteorological authority issued an orange alert for heavy rain in the south and southwest of the country on Saturday.

Heavy rain will hit the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Shanxi, Sichuan and Zhejiang on Saturday and Sunday, with precipitation reaching 300 millimeters in some areas, the National Meteorological Center said on its website.

The center advised people living in the affected areas to take precautions against possible floods and landslides, and those living in mountainous areas to move to safe places.

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

Since June 30, floods, hail and landslides have killed 164 people in China, mainly along the Yangtze River and its tributaries, and have left 26 missing, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Friday morning.

The disasters have also led to the collapse of 73,000 houses and forced the evacuation of 1.99 million people. More than 1 million people are in urgent need of basic living assistance.

The Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) has sent 13,000 relief packages to areas devastated by widespread flooding.

Of the packages, 8,000 have been sent to central Hubei Province, 3,000 to eastern Anhui Province, 1,000 to central Hunan Province and the rest to southwestern Guizhou Province.

The packages comprise quilts, towels, mosquito coils, cooking oil and other supplies, which are being given out to affected families. Endi