Update: Northeast China issues alerts for rainstorms, flooding

CHANGCHUN/HARBIN, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Northeastern Chinese provinces of Heilongjiang and Jilin on Friday issued alerts for flood and farmland waterlogging as rainstorms have swollen multiple rivers in the region.

Heavy rainfall is expected from Thursday to Saturday in parts of the Songhua River and Liaohe River basins, including their tributaries, likely causing significant water level rises in multiple rivers across the affected regions, according to the Songhua-Liaohe water resources commission under the Ministry of Water Resources.

Authorities overseeing the flood-control work for the two rivers have activated Level IV emergency responses for flood prevention and control, urging particular attention paid to the safety of small reservoirs as well as the prevention of mountain torrents.

Early on Friday morning, the water resources department and meteorological administration in Jilin Province jointly issued an orange alert, indicating a high likelihood of flood disasters, including river flooding and farmland waterlogging, over the next 24 hours in the southwestern region of Changchun, capital of Jilin, and in the central-western areas of Siping City.

A yellow alert for flood disaster risks was issued later, covering central Changchun and northern part of Jilin City. Local authorities have been urged to strengthen preventive measures, promptly activate emergency response plans, and ensure public safety.

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

Heilongjiang issued a red alert for rainstorms at 8 a.m. on Friday.

According to the Heilongjiang Meteorological Observatory, it is expected that some southern townships of the Mongolian Autonomous County of Dorbod could receive accumulated precipitation of up to 100 mm within the space of just three hours.

Local weather authorities advised all relevant departments to implement emergency flood prevention and disaster response measures -- including timely evacuation of personnel from high-risk areas. Comprehensive measures to prevent urban waterlogging, river floods and mountain torrents should be reinforced, with intensified inspections and reinforcement of bridges, culverts, roadbeds, embankments and reservoirs. ■